Go Back

Mumbai Pav Bhaji Recipe

This Mumbai Pav Bhaji Recipe is Indian fast food from the state of Maharashtra. It consists of a thick red vegetable curry served with soft bread rolls!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2 servings
Calories 340 kcal

Equipment

  • Stovetop Pan
  • Hand Blender / Immersion Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • ½ green chili minced
  • 1½ tsp ginger minced
  • 1½ tsp garlic minced
  • 1 medium tomato chopped
  • ¼ cup tomato puree
  • 2¼ tsp pav bhaji masala
  • ¼ tsp red chilli powder add a little more if you like it really spicy
  • ¾ cup white potatoes chopped and boiled
  • ⅓ cup small mixed frozen vegetables boiled // I used a mix of frozen green beans, peas and carrots
  • ⅓ cup cauliflower chopped and boiled
  • ⅛ tsp turmeric
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ - ¾ tsp pink salt start with ½ tsp, add more as desired
  • 1½ tsp kasuri methi
  • vegan butter, chopped cilantro, chopped onion, squeeze of lime or lemon wedges optional, when serving on top
  • A few drops red food coloring optional

For the Bread

  • 2 buns (pav)
  • 1-2 tsp vegan butter

Instructions
 

  • Put the pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add the oil. When the stove is hot, add the onions and green chili.
  • Saute this until they are soft - 4-5 minutes. Then stir in the garlic and ginger, stir for 30 seconds.
  • Add the tomatoes and stir until they're very soft. Then add salt, turmeric, tomato puree, pav bhaji masala and red chili powder.
  • Add in all the vegetables and the water. Stir it all around and make sure there is nothing sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 7 minutes. Then stir in kasuri methi.
  • Use a hand blender to blend together the mixture. It should look like it does in the photos (it'll be a little less red unless you add a bit of red food coloring - I used powdered color).
  • Let it sit for some time to thicken - you can also keep it on the heat longer than 7 minutes if you want it thicker (it does thicken as it sits).
  • For the pav (buns), toast them with some vegan butter on a stovetop pan until they are lightly browned.
  • Serve the pav toasted and buttered with the hot bhaji, and with optional dollop of butter, chopped cilantro and chopped onions on top!

Notes