Pav Bhaji Recipe

4.80 from 10 votes

With the healthiness of veggies, the flavors of the spices, the irresistible aroma, and the soft pavs to accompany..... here is the insanely delicious Pav Bhaji recipe that comes to impress you in no time! It is a super-easy one-pot dish that packs many fascinating zest, flavors, and the nutrition the vegetables contribute.

Prep: 20

Cook: 40

Total: 1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Eggless, Nut-free, Vegetarian

Servings: SERVINGS

Calories: 112kcal

Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

VEGETABLES FOR BHAJI

1 large Green bell pepper finely chopped
1½ cup Cauliflower florets
1¼ cup Green Peas
¾ cup Baby carrots
3 medium Potatoes
1 small Beetroot peeled and sliced
2 cups Tomatoes finely chopped

PREPARING TEMPERING

6 tablespoons Butter divided
1½ cups Onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon Ginger paste
½ cup Tomato puree
1 tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chili powder adjust according to taste
4 tablespoons Pav bhaji Masala
1¼ cups Water (saved water from the veggies)
2¼ teaspoons Kasoori Methi
- - Salt to taste

GARNISHES AND SERVE ITH

- - Cilantro leaves
- - Lemon wedges
- - Onion chopped
- - Butter
- - Homemade Ladi Pav

Instructions

INSTANT POT PAV BHAJI

Start the Instant Pot in ‘SAUTE’ mode. Once it displays hot, add butter to the insert. Now add onion and ginger paste to it. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent.
Add carrots and cook until soft. Carrots take a long time to get tender; therefore, it is added along with the onions.
Add tomatoes and cook until soft. Stir in tomato purée and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Now add Pav Bhaji Masala to the tomato mix.
Season the Pav bhaji with salt and Kashmiri red chili powder. Now, add chopped bell peppers, peas, cauliflower florets, sliced beets, and diced potatoes to the insert.
Add water and mix everything until all the ingredients are well combined.
Seal the lid of the Instant Pot with the vent in the sealing position. Cancel the saute mode. Select the ‘PRESSURE COOK OR MANUAL’ mode. Cook on high pressure for 11 minutes.
Once the cooking has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally. As the safety pin drops down, carefully open the Instant Pot lid.
Mash the vegetables using a masher or immersion blender. Crush them until the desired consistency is reached. Turn the sauté mode on and add kasoori methi and the remaining butter to the insert. Allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Keep stirring the bhaji to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the insert.
Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and extra butter, and serve hot.

HOW TO COOK PAV BHAJI ON STOVETOP

Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed pan.
Tip — When resorting to the stovetop method, pressure cooking or boiling the veggies is recommended for speeding up the cooking process. However, do not discard the water left behind after boiling the veggies as this water contains all the nutrients from the veggies, and it can be added to the bhaji later to alter its consistency.
Add bell peppers and cook on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add steamed peas and carrots to the pan.
Mash the veggies using a masher.
Pour in 3 tablespoons of water and mash the vegetables.
Add tomato puree.
Cook until the oil starts to separate. Keep mashing the vegetables all along.
Pour in another ¼ cup of water.
Add steamed beets, cauliflower, and boiled potatoes to the tomato mixture.
Keep crushing the vegetables with a masher. Add ¼ cup of water.
Mash the vegetables to desired consistency. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, and then take it off the heat.

ASSEMBLING PAV BHAJI

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter.
Now add ginger paste and cook for a minute.
Add onions and sauté until soft and translucent.
Stir in chopped tomatoes.
Pour in 2-3 tablespoons of water.
Cover the tomatoes with a lid and cook until they become soft.
Mash the tomatoes with a masher.
Add the Pav Bhaji Masala along with additional 2-3 tablespoons of water.
Mix until everything is combined.
Mash and cook until the oil starts to separate.
Stir in salt and Kashmiri red chili powder.
Sauté and mix until well blended.
Finally, add the mashed vegetables to the skillet. Add kasoori methi and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the oil separates.
Top with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

HOW TO PREPARE THE PAV FOR BHAJI

Slice the pavs into two halves. Heat a tawa or skillet. Add butter to the heated skillet.
Sprinkle half a teaspoon of pav bhaji masala and kasoori methi on top. Add pavs to the heated skillet.
Toast the pavs on both sides until evenly brown. Remove from pan and serve hot with bhaji.

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

Why cook Pav Bhaji recipe in an Instant Pot?

Cooking Pav Bhaji in an Instant Pot has many merits; the first is that when cooked in an Instant Pot, it cooks pretty quicker than the stove top cooked Pav Bhaji. Other benefits of cooking in an Instant Pot are:

Relatively hands-free cooking
No need for constant stirring
No need to boil the veggies before cooking, as everything is taken care of in the one-pot.
It is perfectly creamy, luscious, and completely drool-worthy!

How can I use the leftover bhaji?

There are many other creative ways to use the leftover bhaji. You can use it to make:

Make scrumptious Tawa pulao
Make Masala pav and top it with cheese. Bake and serve – that’s heaven!
Bhaji Bruschetta makes a delicious meal
I recently had a bhaji pizza - that was a great prep too!

What is Pav Bhaji Masala made of?

The spicy savory Pav Bhaji Masala is made of a blend of spices, like

coriander seeds,
cumin seeds,
cloves,
fennel seeds
and ground spices like amchur (dried mango powder), turmeric, and black pepper.

Can I store the leftover Pav Bhaji?

It’s best to store the leftover bhaji and toasted pavs separately in an air-tight container in a refrigerator. They keep fresh for 2 to 3 days. Wrap the pavs in a paper napkin and store them for the best result.

When ready to serve, heat them on the stovetop or microwave until perfectly hot. Also, heat the bhaji in a pan and adjust the consistency by adding water, if needed.

Can you make Pav bhaji ahead of time?

Most certainly! Bhaji can be made a whole day in advance to deepen the flavors. Once cooked and cooled, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. av Bhaji Recipe

Bhaji stays well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and will remain in the freezer if stored well for 2-3 months.

Can you double up on the recipe?

You sure can! Pav Bhaji is a perfect dish for potlucks and large gatherings. This recipe serves 10 people, so you need to scale the recipe up or down to suit your preferences.

Can I add garlic to this Bhaji recipe?

Absolutely! My version of Mumbai Pav Bhaji is prepared without adding any garlic to it. But if you prefer the flavor of garlic in your Bhaji, you may undoubtedly go ahead adding it. But I would recommend adding fresh garlic for optimum flavor.

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