Mumbai Masala Pav and Bhaji Recipe

Masala Pav Bhaji Recipe | How to make Mumbai Masala Pav and Bhaji recipe with step by step photos

Love For Masala Pav

Cooking is like love and this Mumbai Masala Pav and Bhaji recipe is just about that. Cooking should be entered into with abandon or not at all. I am not too fond of Mumbai Masala Pav and Bhaji but I know the kids love it and so I love cooking it.

What is Masala Pav

Mumbai Masala Pav and Bhaji Recipe is a delicious and lip-smacking meal where the Pav is the bread and the bhaji is a typical blend of veggies and spices to make a flavourful Indian curry stoked with the traditional spices.

Pav is like a Dinner Roll

Essentially a bread, Pav is the Indianised version of dinner rolls. The bread makers would be surprised to see how bread is being eaten in Mumbai. The Pav or dinner roll is broken with the hand into bite-sized pieces; soaked in this spicy pool of savoury sauce and then the dripping sauce is licked off the fingers. (You do not want to waste it do you?) You enjoy the Pav with the Bhaji but then if you are just snacking, butter it and have it just like a dinner roll.

Pav Bhaji is basically a street food recipe from the state of Maharashtra; a combo of bread and spicy masala prepared with Bhaji masala.  It is mainly a tea time snack but now it is served at breakfast, as a starter or even the main course for dinner. Another favourite Indian street food of mine is Pani Puri.I make it at home. You can check the recipe here 

History of Pav Bhaji

Initially, Pav Bhaji dates back to the 1860’s and was invented to fix a quick easy meal which did not need to be assembled at the time of cooking. Originating from the humble streets of Mumbai to being a household item in the country Pav Bhaji has trudged a long way.

Difference between Masala Pav and Pav Bhaji

Interestingly, Masala Pav is not as popular as Pav Bhaji so here I have combined both; Masala pav as well as Pav bhaji Masala to rid this controversy. Pav and bhaji are a pair and are meant to be served together. But Masala Pav is another take on the same by smearing the bhaji on the Pav and making it single.

My Bhaji Masher

While making the Bhaji, I do not mash the potatoes but chop them into small cubes and I boil the rest of the veggies and then sauté them. Besides sautéing the veggies, I mash them it with my heavy wooden churner rather than the steel one. Let me share a few tips;  use fresh Pav so that the Pav doesn’t disintegrate or crumble easily. Secondly, do not scrimp on the butter but use it generously as only then the pav will be nice and crisp. No harm in cheating on a dollop of butter once in a blue moon.

https://youtu.be/yz7PL0ODU8c

Mumbai Masala Pav and Bhaji Recipe

Pav Bhaji is basically a street food recipe from the state of Maharashtra; a combo of bread and spicy masala prepared with Bhaji masala.  It is mainly a tea time snack but now it is served at breakfast, as a starter or even the main course for dinner

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Starter

Cuisine Indian

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• Prep time 10 minutes
• Cook time 20 minutes
• Servings 2
• Ingredients main ingredients for masala pav:
• 1 medium onion
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 medium capsicum
• 2 boiled potatoes
• 2 tbsp chopped beans
• 2 tbsp chopped carrot
• 4 tbsp peas
• 1 tsp coarse ginger garlic paste
• 2 green chillies optional
• teaspoon ½cumin
• teaspoon ¼turmeric powder
• teaspoon ½red chili powder
• 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala
• 2 tablespoon butter
• cup ½water
• salt to taste
• 4 pav
• 1 tablespoon to 2butter for roasting pav
• For garnishing
• 1 small onion
• 1 small lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

 

• 1. Finely chop 1 medium onion, 2 medium tomatoes, and 2 boiled potatoes. Boil the beans, carrot and peas in a little hot water.
  
• 3. Heat a shallow pan or a tawa or griddle. Add the 2 tbsp butter to the pan. You can use oil instead of butter but the end result wouldn’t be the same
• 4. Next add ½ tsp cumin seeds and let them splutter till the flavour wafts. Then add the coarse ginger-garlic-green chilies paste.
  
• 5. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté till they are translucent. Now add finely chopped tomatoes. Stir and sauté for a few minutes and then add the boiled peas, beans and carrot.
  
• 6. Stir till it gets to a mushy state and add the boiled and diced potatoes.Then add 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 2 tsp pav bhaji masala.
  
• 7. With a masher, mash everything nicely to make a homogenous mixture. A pav bhaji masher is available in the market but somehow I could never buy it. Instead I use my wooden buttermilk churner which does the job equally well.
  
• 8. Add water and a salt to taste. Let the masala simmer on a low flame. Once the consistency of the bhaji is thick you can turn off the gas.
  
• To serve the Masala Pav: 1. Heat the tawa or griddle and smear butter generously on it.Cut the Pav bread and place them on the butter.Toast the pav on both sides and add more butter if you like.
  
• 2. Open the Pav and smear the masala evenly with a spoon or spatula. Repeat with the rest of the pav.Masala Pav is ready to be served.
  
• 3. For the plating you can add finely chopped onions, lemon wedges and garnish the bhaji with coriander leaves. Sprinkle some grated cheese as kids would love that.
  
• 4. In my family we all eat lots of curry or vegetables and hence I serve the Mumbai Masala Pav with the Bhaji alongside to dip into and savour more of the flavours
  
• 2. Simultaneously, make a coarse paste with the ginger, garlic and green chillies. If kids are going to eat then skip the green chillies. I make a paste in my handy stone mortar and pestle.