Mumbai Street-Style Pav Bhaji

Name: Mumbai Street-Style Pav Bhaji
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Maharashtrian / Mumbai Street Food
Ingredients: 350 g potatoes (peeled, boiled, and mashed); 150 g cauliflower (boiled soft); 100 g green peas (boiled soft); 0.5 small beetroot (boiled and pureed for natural vibrant ruby color); 80 g salted butter (Amul butter) (divided generously); 1 tbsp cooking oil (prevents butter burning); 2 medium onions (finely chopped); 1 large capsicum (green bell pepper) (very finely minced); 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (freshly pounded); 4 large ripe tomatoes (finely chopped); 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala (authentic street blend); 1.5 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (for deep red color); 1 tsp kasuri methi (crushed); 1.5 tbsp lemon juice (fresh); 4 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped); 1 tsp salt (to taste); 8 buns ladi pav rolls (soft fresh bakery pav); 40 g butter (for toasting); 1 tsp pav bhaji masala & coriander (sprinkled on tawa while toasting)

4.9 (2,340 ratings)

• Cuisine: Maharashtrian / Mumbai Street Food

Mumbai's legendary street food: a buttery, spiced vegetable mash cooked on a huge flat iron tawa with tomatoes, potatoes, peas, and pav bhaji masala, served with warm butter-toasted pav rolls.

⏱️ Prep Time 20 min

🍳 Cook Time 25 min

⌛ Total Time 45 min

🍽️ Base Servings 4

👨‍🍳 Difficulty Easy

🌶️ Spice Level Spicy

🥕

Ingredients

Servings:

For Boiling & Mashing Vegetables

350 g potatoes— peeled, boiled, and mashed
150 g cauliflower— boiled soft
100 g green peas— boiled soft
1/2 small beetroot— boiled and pureed for natural vibrant ruby color

For the Bhaji Masala

80 g salted butter (Amul butter)— divided generously
1 tbsp cooking oil— prevents butter burning
2 medium onions— finely chopped
1 large capsicum (green bell pepper)— very finely minced
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste— freshly pounded
4 large ripe tomatoes— finely chopped
2 tbsp pav bhaji masala— authentic street blend
1 1/2 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder— for deep red color
1 tsp kasuri methi— crushed
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice— fresh
4 tbsp fresh coriander— chopped
1 tsp salt— to taste

For Toasty Pav Rolls

8 buns ladi pav rolls— soft fresh bakery pav
40 g butter— for toasting
1 tsp pav bhaji masala & coriander— sprinkled on tawa while toasting

For Boiling & Mashing Vegetables

• 350 g potatoes — peeled, boiled, and mashed
• 150 g cauliflower — boiled soft
• 100 g green peas — boiled soft
• 0.5 small beetroot — boiled and pureed for natural vibrant ruby color

For the Bhaji Masala

• 80 g salted butter (Amul butter) — divided generously
• 1 tbsp cooking oil — prevents butter burning
• 2 medium onions — finely chopped
• 1 large capsicum (green bell pepper) — very finely minced
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste — freshly pounded
• 4 large ripe tomatoes — finely chopped
• 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala — authentic street blend
• 1.5 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder — for deep red color
• 1 tsp kasuri methi — crushed
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice — fresh
• 4 tbsp fresh coriander — chopped
• 1 tsp salt — to taste

For Toasty Pav Rolls

• 8 buns ladi pav rolls — soft fresh bakery pav
• 40 g butter — for toasting
• 1 tsp pav bhaji masala & coriander — sprinkled on tawa while toasting

🔥

Cooking Instructions

01

Boil & Mash Vegetables with Beetroot
⏱️ 15m

Pressure cook potatoes, cauliflower, green peas, and beetroot with 1 cup water until completely soft. Mash thoroughly with a potato masher until smooth with no large chunks.

✓ Visual Cue: A vibrant red, silky vegetable puree
02

Sauté Aromatics & Capsicum
⏱️ 7m

Melt 40g butter with 1 tbsp oil on a wide tawa or flat skillet. Add finely chopped onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add finely minced green bell pepper and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for 3 minutes.

✓ Visual Cue: Crunchy bell peppers blend into the rich melting butter
03

Cook Tomatoes & Pav Bhaji Masala
⏱️ 8m

Add chopped tomatoes, pav bhaji masala, Kashmiri chilli powder, and salt. Cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes, mashing tomatoes continuously with the back of the masher until soft and butter starts oozing from edges.

✓ Visual Cue: Glossy crimson paste bubbling on the tawa
04

Tawa Mash (The Street Technique)
⏱️ 8m

Pour the mashed vegetable puree onto the tawa. Add 1/2 cup warm water. Using a metal potato masher, mash the mixture continuously on the sizzling tawa for 6-8 minutes until glossy and cohesive. Stir in crushed kasuri methi, lemon juice, and chopped coriander.

✓ Visual Cue: A luscious, buttery, red bhaji that bubbles thick on the tawa
05

Toast Pav with Butter & Masala
⏱️ 3m

Slice pav rolls in half. Melt 2 tbsp butter on the tawa, sprinkle a pinch of pav bhaji masala and coriander leaves. Press pav buns cut-side down onto the sizzling butter, toast until crisp and golden.

✓ Visual Cue: Golden toasted pav buns dripping with aromatic spiced butter

💡

Chef's Authentic Tips

Adding a tiny piece of boiled beetroot gives the iconic vibrant crimson street color naturally without artificial food dyes.
Continuous vigorous mashing on a wide flat tawa is what creates the signature velvety street texture.

🔄

Smart Substitutions

Can use burger buns or dinner rolls if Mumbai ladi pav is unavailable.

🍽️

Serving Suggestions & Pairings

✓ Top the bhaji with a melting square of butter, finely diced red onions, chopped coriander, and a fat lemon wedge alongside toasty pav.

📊

Estimated Nutrition

Per Serving

Calories 480

Protein 10g

Carbs 64g

Fat 22g

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