By Simran Makkar
August 22, 2026
Walking through a Mumbai lane at dusk, you’re likely to catch a heady waft of caramelising onions and butter melting over toasted bread, a sure sign that you’re near a kheema pav stall. But this food isn't just for the street side; you can make it at home on a lazy Sunday, as it requires no elaborate techniques-just one pan, a handful of kitchen staples and a little patience while flavours come together.
500g kheema (minced mutton) 2 tablespoons oil 2 tomatoes 2 onions 2 green chillies 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ½ cup green peas 1 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon red chilli powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 tablespoon coriander powder Salt Pav buns Fresh coriander leaves Butter Lemon wedges
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and put some cumin seeds to sizzle in it.
Add the chopped onions and sauté them until golden brown.
Mix in the ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chillies and cook until the raw smell disappears.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until mushy.
Stir in the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder. Keep cooking until the oil begins to separate.
Mix in the kheema well, until it's evenly covered with the masala.
Add the green peas and a little water. Cover and let it simmer until the meat is cooked thoroughly, and keep stirring from time to time.
Sprinkle some garam masala powder and simmer for another few minutes.
Slit the pav buns and toast them on a griddle with a generous amount of butter.
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot alongside the pav and lemon wedges.