
Spiced mashed vegetable curry with buttered bread rolls
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Servings
4
4 cups bhaji plus 8 pav
Difficulty
Easy
Cost
Budget
$
Spiced mashed vegetable curry with buttered bread rolls
A Mumbai street food legend—a thick, buttery mash of mixed vegetables heavily spiced with pav bhaji masala, served with soft, butter-toasted bread rolls.
15m
Prep Time
25m
Cook Time
40m
Total Time
4
Servings
Easy
Difficulty
Budget $
Cost
(Updated )
Pav bhaji is Mumbai on a plate—a riotously spiced mash of vegetables drenched in butter, scooped up with soft, toasted bread rolls. It is messy, indulgent, and completely irresistible street food.
Heat 2 tbsp butter, sauté onions until soft, add tomato puree and cook until oil separates.
Add pav bhaji masala, chili powder, and salt; cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add all mashed vegetables and 1/2 cup water; mash vigorously with a flat masher while cooking.
Cook 10 minutes, mashing continuously, until thick and well-combined; add remaining butter.
Toast pav with butter on a griddle; serve bhaji topped with cilantro, onion, and lemon wedge.
Serve with warm naan bread or basmati rice
Top with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime
Pair with a cooling cucumber raita on the side
Arrange on a platter for easy sharing at your next gathering
Not identical but a workable substitute
Toast generously with butter
Test Kitchen Pick
Garam Masala
Helpful Pantry Staple
A better spice blend gives the recipe more rounded flavor without making you buy ten separate jars first.
This is often the pantry shortcut that makes the result taste more complete.
If you are cooking Indian food more than once, garam masala is a practical pantry anchor.
Shop garam masala for this recipeMash aggressively on the griddle—the more you mash, the better the texture.
Add a generous amount of butter; this is not the dish for restraint.
Bhaji refrigerates well for 3 days. Reheat with extra butter.
Warm on stovetop with a splash of water and a pat of butter.
Per serving (40mg) · 4 servings
A moderate-calorie serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet
Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.
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