Potatoes
आलूآلو
ālū
Starchy.
Its job: Body.
Science-backed recipe
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished
Pav Bhaji: Mumbai’s Buttery Street Feast
Also called Mumbai Pav Bhaji · पाव भाजी · پاؤ بھاجی
A spiced, buttery vegetable mash with butter-toasted pav, raw onion, lemon and cilantro.
In short
Pav bhaji is Mumbai’s buttery spiced vegetable mash, served with butter-toasted bread rolls. This version pressure-cooks the vegetables in an Instant Pot.
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished - Active
- 50 min
- Prep
- 15 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 4
Why this recipe works
- ✓One potPressure cook, then mash in the masala.
- ✓Street-style colorKashmiri chili and tomatoes.
- ✓ButterLots, the Mumbai way.
- ✓Vegetable-packedFive vegetables.
What is pav bhaji?
Pav bhaji began in 1850s Mumbai as a quick, filling meal for mill workers. Bhaji is a spiced vegetable mash cooked on a big tawa with butter; pav are soft bread rolls.
Meet the ingredients
The main ingredients, with their English, Hindi and Urdu names.
Pav bhaji masala
पाव भाजी मसालाپاؤ بھاجی مصالحہ
pāv bhājī masālā
Store-bought blend.
Its job: The signature flavor.
Grow it yourself: Potatoes, Tomatoes, Bell peppers (capsicum), Cauliflower and cabbage, Cilantro (dhania), Garlic, Ginger
The lab notes
The science behind every step
Restaurant cooks do these things by habit. Here’s what each step is actually doing to the food, so you can cook by understanding instead of guesswork.
Lab note01
The Indian base order
Cumin, then onions, ginger-garlic, salt and powdered spices, tomatoes, and garam masala last.
Each step cooks in the order its flavor needs: whole cumin blooms in hot fat, onions brown and sweeten, ginger-garlic loses its raw edge, ground spices toast for seconds without burning, tomatoes cook down until the oil separates, and garam masala goes in last so its aroma survives.
Lab note02
Mash hot
Mash the vegetables into the masala while hot.
Hot potato starch is soft and blends smoothly; cooled potato firms up and turns gluey when worked.
How to make it, at a glance
- Pressure cook vegetablesAdd the potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrot and water to the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on High for 5 minutes; quick release. Mash roughly and set aside.
- Indian baseWipe the pot. Select Sauté, melt 2 tbsp butter, add the cumin, then the onion until soft and golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute, then the salt, chili and turmeric for 30 seconds.
- Peppers and tomatoesAdd the bell pepper for 2 minutes, then the tomatoes and pav bhaji masala, cooking until soft and jammy, 6–8 minutes.
- Mash togetherAdd the mashed vegetables and ½ cup water and mash everything together with a potato masher. Simmer 5 minutes, then stir in the remaining butter and the lemon juice.
- Toast the pavSlit the pav, spread with butter and a pinch of pav bhaji masala and toast on a hot pan until crisp.
- ServeTop the bhaji with butter, onion and cilantro and serve with the pav and lemon.
Exact amounts and timings are in the recipe card below.
Health benefits, honestly rated
Vegetable-packed street food; the butter is the indulgent part.
Macros per serving
Calories480
Protein11 g
Carbs65 g
Fat20 g
Fiber8 g
Sodium960 mg
2.3 g protein per 100 calories. Estimated from the ingredients with USDA FoodData Central values.
Gym-friendly tip: Add 150 g cubed paneer or a side of ¾ cup Greek yogurt raita (about +16 g protein), or serve with dal.
Vegetables
Five vegetables in one dish.
Keep in mind
- Very buttery and the pav is refined flour; use less butter at home.
General nutrition information, not medical advice. Numbers marked “estimated” are calculated from the recipe’s ingredients and vary with brands and portions. If you have diabetes, heart or kidney disease, a food allergy, or are pregnant, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how this dish fits your diet.
Health sources: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
See the full ingredient health guide: benefits, traditional roots and the science →
Questions, answered
Can I make pav bhaji in an Instant Pot?
Yes: pressure cook the vegetables 5 minutes, then mash them into the masala on Sauté.
Why is my pav bhaji not red?
Use Kashmiri chili and ripe tomatoes; restaurants sometimes add beetroot for color.
About MedRise Food Science
Desi restaurant favorites, recreated at home and explained with food science: every recipe is tested in a home kitchen and comes with the why behind each step.
Recipe card
Pav Bhaji
Instant Pot pav bhaji: potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrots and peppers pressure-cooked, then mashed into a buttery spiced tomato masala and served with butter-toasted pav, onions and lemon.
Prep15 minCook35 minTotal50 minServes4 servings
Ingredients
Vegetables
Bhaji masala
To serve
Instructions (Instant Pot)
- Pressure cook vegetablesAdd the potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrot and water to the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on High for 5 minutes; quick release. Mash roughly and set aside.
- Indian baseWipe the pot. Select Sauté, melt 2 tbsp butter, add the cumin, then the onion until soft and golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute, then the salt, chili and turmeric for 30 seconds.
- Peppers and tomatoesAdd the bell pepper for 2 minutes, then the tomatoes and pav bhaji masala, cooking until soft and jammy, 6–8 minutes.
- Mash togetherAdd the mashed vegetables and ½ cup water and mash everything together with a potato masher. Simmer 5 minutes, then stir in the remaining butter and the lemon juice.
- Toast the pavSlit the pav, spread with butter and a pinch of pav bhaji masala and toast on a hot pan until crisp.
- ServeTop the bhaji with butter, onion and cilantro and serve with the pav and lemon.
Notes
- Storage
- Refrigerate the bhaji up to 4 days; it freezes well.
Equipment
- Instant Pot (6 qt)
- Potato masher
- Skillet or tawa