Paav Bhaaji

I still remember when the trend of Pav Bhaji first came to my town. I was in elementary school, and I absolutely loved the flavors—and so did everyone in my family. It was funny how suddenly Pav Bhaji became everyone’s favorite dish overnight.

I never got the chance to try it at a roadside stall, though I always wanted to. Back then, in the small town I grew up in, it wasn’t considered proper for women to stand and eat at street-side eateries. Writing this now makes it sound like it was ages ago, but really, it’s just been a few decades. What amazes me most is how much my town has changed—it’s exciting, and a little scary too.

Small cities have their own kind of magic. People are friendlier, they have more time, and somehow, everyone knows everyone. Back then, I could walk a mile and meet fifty familiar faces. Today, I might still meet the same number—but that warmth, that sense of closeness, feels a little lost.

Anyway, coming back to Pav Bhaji—my father would always bring it home as a takeaway, and we would all love it to the core. Eventually, my mother started buying Pav Bhaji masala and making it at home, and that’s when homemade Pav Bhaji became a family favorite. The Pav Bhaji masala I use even today is my mother’s recipe—simple, flavorful, and full of memories.

I’ve tried my hands at Pav Bhaji multiple times and have loved every bite of it each time. While my mother always added a mix of vegetables like cauliflower and carrots to her Pav Bhaji, I prefer keeping it simple with just potatoes and bell peppers. It makes the flavors more reminiscent of the original, street-style Pav Bhaji that I first fell in love with.

The Paav are also homemade. They are pretty easy as well. If you follow the recipe properly, you will be able to make these pillow soft amazing buns at home. You can serve the buns with anything, but as Paav with Bhaaji, they just seem to taste super amazing. To make them taste more delicious, split the buns, spread some butter and sprinkle some Paav Bhaaji masala on them and toast them on the Tava/ Pan.

Click and make your own Paav at home

Homemade Buns / Paav – Haala’s Dastarkhaan

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Paav Bhaaji

Mixed spicy veggie served with buns

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Cuisine

Indian

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Servings

people MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Fennel powder
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper [whole]
• 3-4 No. Green Cardamoms
• 4-5 No. cloves
• 7-8 No. Dry Red whole chilies
• 2-3 No. Cinnamon sticks small to medium size
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Amchur powder
• 2 cups Onions chopped
• 1 No. Green Bell pepper
• 1/2 cup Peas Fresh or frozen
• 4 No. Potatoes boiled and mashed
• 1.5 cup Tomatoes chopped
• 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• Salt
• 2 tbsp Kasoori methi
• 2 tbsp olive oil Or any other oil of your choice
• 2 tbsp Butter preferably unsalted
• 1 tsp Coriander powder

Cuisine Indian Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Servings people MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 2 tbsp Coriander seeds 1 tbsp Cumin seeds 1 tbsp Fennel powder 1/2 tsp Black pepper [whole] 3-4 No. Green Cardamoms 4-5 No. cloves 7-8 No. Dry Red whole chilies 2-3 No. Cinnamon sticks small to medium size 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp Amchur powder 2 cups Onions chopped 1 No. Green Bell pepper 1/2 cup Peas Fresh or frozen 4 No. Potatoes boiled and mashed 1.5 cup Tomatoes chopped 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste Salt 2 tbsp Kasoori methi 2 tbsp olive oil Or any other oil of your choice 2 tbsp Butter preferably unsalted 1 tsp Coriander powder

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Instructions

1. A hot/warm snack like this is amazingly tasty and loved by people of all ages. Pair it up with homemade Paav. Home made Paav https://haalasdastarkhaan.com/blog/homemade-buns-paav/

   
2. This recipe is easy and unbelievably delicious.

   
3. Dry Roast the dry spices. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, green cardamom, cloves, Dry Red chilies, fennel seeds, cinnamon and black pepper corns.

   
4. Once roasted, let them cool down.

   
5. Grind the roasted spices to a fine powder.

   
6. Add Turmeric powder and Amchoor powder to the dry powder and mix well. This Paav bhaaji Masala can be kept in an air tight container in a cool place and can be used for up to 6 months.

   
7. Add oil to a pan. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute. Add onions, bell pepper and peas. I used frozen peas, but you can always use fresh. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stir continuously.

   
8. Add Tomatoes and stir for another minute.

   
9. Add the boiled potatoes and mix everything well. Mash everything well too.

   
10. Add 2-3 tsp of the paav bhaaji powder we made along with salt and coriander powder. Also add Kasoori Methi.

    
11. Mix everything well and cook for another 10 minutes.

    
12. Add butter to the paav bhaaji and stir and cook a little more.

    
13. You can slice the bun to half, apply butter and cook alongside the bhaaji. If you like being a little more adventurous, you can sprinkle a little paav bhaaji masala to the buns as well. It adds a little flavor from the bhaaji to the buns making them more delicious.

    
14. Serve them hot.

    
15. Get the recipe for Homemade buns/ Paav https://haalasdastarkhaan.com/blog/homemade-buns-paav/