Bhaji, Pav Bhaji

On one of my last trips for the year, I stopped by the home of my #7 Son and #3 Daughter. We had a wonderful evening remembering past days and playing with their two delightful children.

As dinner came, #3 daughter made a marvelous Pav Bhaji, and this time, I was in a position to capture the recipe and method. Note that we updated this to use the Instapot.

Pav Bhaji is Mumbai street food, and we all know I love street food, the real food in that location. If you want real Singapore food, go to the night market; if you want real Indian food, hit the hand carts, you want real Mexican, hit the taco carts, etc, etc, etc.I will

Before starting this, do read through the recipe; the Bhaji Marsala is key to the taste and can be purchased or made; a rapid formula for a passable Marsala is included in the notes to the recipe.

From Wikipeida:

Pav bhaji, Paw bhaji or Pao bhaji (Marathi : पाव भाजी pāʋ bhājī) is a main course staple food of Mumbai, India consisting of a thick spicy vegetable curry (bhaji) served with a soft buttered bread roll (pav). It originated in the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The dish originated as a fast lunchtime dish for textile mill workers in Mumbai.[3][4] Pav bhaji was later served at restaurants throughout the city. Pav bhaji is now offered at outlets from simple hand carts to formal restaurants in India and abroad.

Pav bhaji is a spiced mixture of mashed vegetables in a thick gravy served with bread. Vegetables in the curry may commonly include potatoes, onions, carrots, chillies, peas, bell peppers and tomatoes. Street sellers usually cook the curry on a flat griddle (tava) and serve the dish hot. A soft white bread roll is the usual accompaniment to the curry, but this does not preclude the use of other bread varieties such as chapati, roti or brown bread.

Pav Bhaji in Instapot

A popular Indian street food, now in an instapot

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Main Course, Soup, Stew, Vegetable

Cuisine Indian, Street Food

Servings 6 people

Calories 211 kcal

Equipment

• 1 InstaPot
• 1 Spice Grinder Coffe Grinder / Mortor and Pestle

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups Red Onions Peeled, Diced
• 3 cup Tomato Choped
• 1 inch Ginger Peeled
• 8 Cloves Garlic Peeled
• 3-4 ea Kashmiri Red Peppers Whole
• 1 ea Bell pepper Chopped
• 3 cups Russet Potatoes Peeled, Chopped
• 1 cup Carrot Peeled chopped
• 2 cup Cauliflower Washed, cut to small pieces
• 1 cup Green Peas Fresh / Frozen

Bhaji Masala

• 4 tbsp Coriander Seed
• 2 tbsp Cumin Seed
• 2 ea Bay Leaf
• 10 ea Cloves
• 2 ea Cardamon
• 2 inch Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 3/4 tbsp Fennel Seed
• 10 ea Kashmiri Dried Red Peppers
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tbsp Mango Powder Can sub lime juice
• 2 tbsp Bhaji Masala See this post
• 1 cup Water
• 1 tsp Salt To Taste
• 1 tbsp Lime Juice

Pav

• 10 ea Dinner Rolls or croissants
• 2 tbsp Butter

Instructions

 

Bhaji Masala

• In a thick bottomed pan, dry roast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds. and set aside
• Dry roast bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, pepper and pepper, and set aside.
• Dry roast dried kashmiri red chili till they puff up.
• Transfer to the small blender and allow to cool completely
• Add turmeric powder and dry mango powder
• Blend to fine powder without adding any water
• Store in a cool Dry Place, in an air tight container

Bhaji

• Soak red whole chili in 1 cup water for 15 mins. Grind chili, ginger and garlic along with the water to a paste. 
• Start the pressure cooker in sauté mode and heat 2 tbsp butter/oil in it
• Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes.
• Add bell pepper and sauté for another 2 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, bhaji masala and salt
• Add the ground chili paste. If anything is stuck to the bottom of the pot, scrape it with a spatula.
• Add cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, and green peas. Mix well.
• Press cancel and close lid with vent in sealing position. 
• Change the setting to manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 8 minutes.
• When the instant pot beeps, release the pressure naturally.

Pav

• Slice each pav or dinner rolls in two halves.
• Heat butter on a pan and place the sliced pav on it.
• Lightly toast on one side and then turn to toast on the other side. 

Notes

Take 1-2 ladles of bhaji in a plate. Add a dollop of butter.

Sprinkle some chopped onions and cilantro on the top.

Sprinkle some lime juice on the top if you like a tangier taste.

Serve with two buttered pav’s on the side. 

 

If the bhaji is to spicy, use yogurt to tame the flame.

 

I always have this with mango pickle.

 

One can make the bhaji masala or one can buy, or here is a quick mix for the masala:

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp dry mango powder (or lime juice)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 6gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 479mgPotassium: 945mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 4529IUVitamin C: 49mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 4mg

Keyword Curry, Vegetable

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!