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Image of pav and bhaji plated on a serving dish topped with vegan butter, chopped coriander

Pav Bhaji - Spicy Vegetable Mash

Pav Bhaji is a classic vegetable based mash/gravy that can be had with pav, or even roti and chapattis. A variety of vegetables are cooked in an onion, tomato and ginger-garlic based gravy and served with chopped onions, coriander and lemon juice.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast, Fast Food, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Maharashtrian
Servings 6
Calories 277 kcal

Ingredients
  

Vegetables for the Bhaji

  • 2-3 Potatoes large to medium
  • 1 cup cauliflower, roughly chopped about 130 g
  • 1 cup carrot, roughly chopped about 130 g
  • 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen about 140 g
  • 1 bell pepper green, red, or yellow
  • Enough water - for pressure-cooking or boiling the veggies in a pot

For gravy base

  • 2-3 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 medium to large onion
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger and garlic 1-inch ginger & 3 large garlic cloves minced, or ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 to 2 green chilies chopped
  • 2 to 3 large tomatoes diced
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2-3 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 2 to 3 tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala
  • Additional water for the gravy as needed
  • salt to taste

For plating and garnishing

  • 1 pack Pav vegan dinner rolls
  • 3 to 4 tbsp Vegan butter
  • 3-4 lemon wedges
  • 1 onion - medium to large finelychopped
  • 6-7 stalks of coriander leaves chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

Cooking veggies

  • Rinse, peel and chop the veggies in equal sizes
  • Place all of them, including the green peas, in a pressure cooker on a large pot with enough water covering the veggies.
  • Pressure cook the veggies for about 12 minutes on medium flame or 20 minutes on a pot.
  • When the pressure naturally releases, keep aside and check for doneness.

Gravy base:

  • Heat oil in a pan and add 1 tsp cumin seeds.
  • Once they crackle and start to change colour, add finely chopped onions to it.
  • Saute on a low to medium flame till the onions turn golden.
  • Then add minced ginger and garlic. Cook till the raw smell of ginger and garlic go away.
  • Add chopped green chilies and tomatoes. Saute well. (Add water if the tomatoes start sticking to the bottom)
  • Then add ground turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder and pan bhaji masala, and mix well.

Making the Bhaji

  • Add the cooked veggies along with the stock or water from the pressure cooker or pot. Add salt and mix well.
  • With a potato masher, mash the veggies directly in the pan.
  • Mash the veggies according to the consistency you prefer. For a smooth mixture, mash more.
  • Keep on mashing/stirring occasionally while the bhaji simmers for about 8-9 more minutes.

Assemble the Pav and Bhaji

  • Toast/fry the pav in butter and 1-2 tsp Pav Bhaji masala (dropped directly onto the butter) until the pav turns reddish-golden and crispy.
  • Serve the bhaji with a bit of vegan butter, chopped coriander, and chopped red onions on top along with the pav.

Nutrition

Serving: 6 servingsCalories: 277kcalCarbohydrates: 47.7gProtein: 6.5gFat: 9.2gSaturated Fat: 0.6gSodium: 652mgPotassium: 896mgFiber: 8.6gSugar: 8.2gCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Bhaji Masala, Pav Bhaji
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