Get the Recipe:
Homemade Pav Bhaji
Pav Bhaji is a famous Indian street food recipe. It's a thick and spicy mashed vegetable dish cooked in a masala of onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and dried spices. Served with toasted buns (pav). It incorporates a colourful mix of vegetables (bhaji): cauliflower, peppers, carrots, and potatoes to create a lip-smacking healthy Indian dinner recipe. This version isn't loaded with butter - yet promises oodles of flavour! Learn how to make pav bhaji at home.
Video
Ingredients
Pav Bhaji Vegetables
- 1 cauliflower , large, washed, stems removed and cut into large florets
- 2 carrots, large, washed, peeled and diced into thick slices
- 1 green pepper, large, washed, cut into large chunks
- 1 red pepper, large, washed, cut into large chunks
- 1 cup peas, frozen
- 1 cup water, to steam vegetables
Spice Mix
- 1½ tbsp coriander seeds, whole
- 1½ tsp cumin seeds
- 5 green cardamom, seeds only
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 3 tsp fenugreek leaves, dried
- 4 tsp Kashmiri red chilli, powder, adjust to taste
- 4 tsp red chilli , powder, adjust to taste
Pav Bhaji Masala
- 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 onion, large, white, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, large, crushed
- 2 inch ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 tomatoes, medium, washed, chopped into medium chunks
- 1½ tsp salt, sea salt
- 1 lemon, fresh, large, juice only
- 1 cup cilantro, fresh, washed, chopped
Equipment
- pressure cooker is optional
Instructions
Pav Bhaji Vegetables
- Send pav bhaji vegetables to steam: Add cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, peppers, peas and water to the Instant pot and select the "steam" setting. Send to steam for three minutes and then release the pressure. Remove the vegetables from the Instant Pot and drain the water. The vegetables should be very soft. You could use any pressure cooker for this step or steam the vegetables on the stovetop on low heat.
Spice Mix
- Make the pav bhaji masala spice mix: Add the whole spices - coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves to a spice grinder and blitz into a powder. Combine with the remaining spices - fenugreek leaves, Kashmiri red chilli and red chilli powder and set aside.
Pav Bhaji Masala
- In a medium cooking pot, heat olive oil on medium heat.
- Add onion, garlic and ginger and fry until lightly golden.
- Stir in the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes on medium heat until soft and mushy.
- Add the spice mix, stir and cook for a minute.
- Add the cooked vegetables to the onion-tomato mixture and mash the vegetables and stir to combine with the pav bhaji masala—Cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
- Finish with salt, lemon and fresh cilantro.
- Serve traditionally with toasted buns. Slit the buns and toast on a pan or in the toaster. Serve hot.
Notes
The nutritional analysis does NOT include the pav (buns).
- Ensure you discard all the liquid from the steamed vegetables before adding it to the pav bhaji masala; otherwise, the pav bhaji will be too runny.
- Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger until lightly golden to bring that lovely flavour.
- Mash the vegetables well to savour a thick consistency.
- Add the lemon, cilantro and salt at the end.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Besides toasted buns, you can also enjoy this pav bhaji recipe with rice, roti, quinoa or other favourite grains.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 145kcal (7%)Carbohydrates: 22g (7%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fat: 6g (9%)Saturated Fat: 1g (5%)Sodium: 830mg (35%)Potassium: 736mg (21%)Fiber: 7g (28%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 4845IU (97%)Vitamin C: 122mg (148%)Calcium: 86mg (9%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Keep in mind that the nutritional values provided are approximations and suggestions, and might fluctuate depending on ingredient variations, portion sizes, and recipe adjustments. This nutrition facts table cannot account for your individual needs. Your body — including your hunger and satiety cues — change daily. It's perfectly fine to eat more or less on different days. Instead of letting food guilt take over, consider mindful eating.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @desiliciousrd on Instagram or tag #desiliciousrd.