Mumbai Street-Style Pav Bhaji with Buttered Rolls

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Pav Bhaji is the iconic Mumbai street-food mash of mixed vegetables simmered in butter, tomatoes, and a special red spice blend, ladled hot alongside toasted, buttered dinner rolls. Vendors cook the bhaji on giant flat griddles and finish it with a slab of butter, chopped raw onion, and a squeeze of lime for the full experience.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 510 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 10 gSaturated Fat
• 64 gCarbs
• 9 gFiber
• 11 gSugar
• 10 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 960 mgPotassium
• 95 mgCalcium
• 4.5 mgIron
• 55 mgVitamin C
• 185 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Bhaji Base

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 3 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 small green chili, minced
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste

For the Mash and Spice

• 2 cups boiled mixed vegetables, mashed (potato, cauliflower, peas, carrot)
• 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 cup hot water, as needed
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

For Toasting the Pav

• 8 soft pav buns or small dinner rolls, halved horizontally
• 3 tbsp salted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala

For Serving

• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp extra butter, cubed

Directions

1. Pressure-cook or boil the mixed vegetables in salted water for 12-15 minutes until very tender, then drain and mash coarsely with a potato masher; set aside.
2. Heat butter and oil in a heavy flat pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook 5-6 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
3. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chili and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to brown the paste.
4. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook 7-8 minutes, pressing down with the back of a spoon, until the tomatoes collapse into a thick pulp and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
5. Sprinkle in the pav bhaji masala, Kashmiri chili powder, and turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices, then add the mashed vegetables and mix vigorously to combine.
6. Pour in 1/2 cup hot water and simmer the bhaji for 10-12 minutes over medium-low heat, mashing continuously with the potato masher until smooth, glossy, and thick enough to mound on a spoon; adjust salt and add splashes of water if it tightens up.
7. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped coriander, and finish with a cube of butter melted into the top of the bhaji for that classic glossy sheen.
8. To toast the pav, melt the butter on a flat tawa or skillet, sprinkle in 1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala, and lay the buns cut-side down. Toast 1-2 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp, then keep warm.
9. Ladle the sizzling bhaji onto plates, top with an extra cube of butter, and serve immediately with the toasted pav, chopped raw onion, coriander, and lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Cook’s Notes

• Use real salted Amul butter for the most authentic Mumbai flavor; finish each plate with an extra cube melted on top.
• For deeper color and tang, add 1/2 tsp amchur (dried mango powder) along with the masala.
• Mash the bhaji on a flat tawa if possible to mimic the street vendors, using the flat base of a steel tumbler as a makeshift masher.
• Choose soft, slightly sweet pav buns (or small potato dinner rolls) so they soak up the butter and masala without going tough.
• If the bhaji thickens while sitting on the buffet, loosen it with a splash of hot water and an extra knob of butter before serving.

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