Mumbai Pav Bhaji Recipe (One-pot)
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
418 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Snacks
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Cuisine
Indian
Mumbai Pav Bhaji Recipe (One-pot)
Description
The recipe begins by soaking whole dried Kashmiri red chilies then grinding them with ginger and garlic to create a fragrant chili-ginger-garlic paste. Onions are sautéed in butter or oil, followed by bell peppers. Tomatoes and pav bhaji masala powder are incorporated to build the base flavor. The ground chili paste is added along with chopped cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, and green peas, then everything is pressure-cooked or simmered until soft.
This dish achieves a thick, mildly spicy consistency, ideal for mashing or blending for a creamy texture. The pav breads are buttered and toasted separately for serving. Topped with chopped onions and fresh cilantro, pav bhaji offers a balanced combination of spice, sweetness, and a touch of acidity from lime juice.
Pro tips include choosing good quality pav bhaji masala, preventing instant pot burn by adding extra water and deglazing, and optionally substituting vegan butter or oil. Using Kashmiri chili enhances the dish’s distinctive red color without excessive heat. This versatile street-food style recipe can be prepared on stovetop or Instant Pot methods.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter or oil
- 2 cups red onions diced
- 3 cups tomato chopped, about 5 large
- 1" inch ginger
- 8 cloves garlic
- 3 Kashmiri red chili pepper whole dried
- 1 bell pepper chopped, 130gms
- 3 potato medium, peeled and chopped. I used russet potatoes. about 3 cups or 440gms
- 1 carrot cut in pieces, 90gms or 2/3 cup
- 1 1/2 cup cauliflower cut in small pieces, Gobi
- 3/4 cup green peas
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon pav bhaji masala
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
For Pav
- 10 dinner rolls or Dinner rolls, Pav
- 2 tablespoon butter
To garnish
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Soak red whole chili in 1 cup water for 15 mins. Grind chili, ginger and garlic along with the water to a paste. (Note: if you skip grinding chilies with water, then do add 1 cup water before pressure cooking and add the ginger/garlic along with the onions)
- Start the pressure cooker in sauté mode (high flame for stovetop pressure cooker) 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, pav bhaji masala and salt. Add the ground chili paste. If anything is stuck to the bottom of the pot, scrape it with a spatula. (See notes if you have had a Burn issue in your instant pot or using 8qt instant pot)
- Add cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, and green peas. Mix well.
Instant Pot Method
- 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.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
- Close the lid, turn the heat on high flame and pressure cook it until your hear two whistles. Now reduce the flame to medium and pressure cook it for another 6 minutes. Turn off heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
Mash and Garnish Bhaji
- Open the pressure cooker and use an immersion blender to coarsely grind the ingredients. You can also use a potato masher to mash the bhaji to the desired consistency.
- Change to sauté mode and let the bhaji boil for a minute. Mix in the lime juice. Bhaji is ready to be served.
Preparing 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.
- Pav are ready to be served with bhaji.
Serving Pav Bhaji
- 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.
Notes
- Use Everest brand pav bhaji masala or make a quick homemade blend with coriander, garam masala, dry mango powder, and turmeric for authentic flavor.
- To avoid burn errors on 8-quart Instant Pots or newer models, add extra 1/4 cup water before pressure cooking and ensure the pot is well deglazed after sautéing.
- Kashmiri red chilies add color and mild heat; you can substitute 1-2 teaspoons of Kashmiri chili powder to adjust spice levels.
- The recipe can be made vegan by using oil instead of butter, but traditional pav bhaji is made with butter.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 418 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 418kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 65g | 22% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 20mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 867mg | 36% |
| Potassium | 1072mg | 23% |
| Fiber | 11g | 44% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Vitamin A | 3571IU | 71% |
| Vitamin C | 107mg | 119% |
| Calcium | 204mg | 20% |
| Iron | 7mg | 39% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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