By Aditi Saraswat
August 11, 2026
When the craving for a spicy street food hits, a hot plate of pav bhaji never disappoints. This Mumbai-style curry blends mashed vegetables, bold masala, and a dollop of butter, resulting in a comforting meal at home.
2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed 1 cup cauliflower, finely chopped ½ cup green peas, boiled 1 small capsicum, finely chopped 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala 1 tsp red chilli powder ½ tsp turmeric powder 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp oil Salt, to taste 1½ cups water 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped 1 tbsp lemon juice
Boil potatoes, cauliflower and peas until 3 whistles. Drain and mash them together nicely while they are still warm.
In a pan, heat oil or butter and add chopped onions and ginger-garlic paste to it. Sauté until the onions turn soft and lightly golden, but not burnt.
Now, add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, chilli powder, pav bhaji masala and salt to this and cook until the tomatoes turn soft.
To the masala, add the mashed vegetables and water as needed. Mix everything and let the bhaji cook over low flame.
Add lemon juice and fresh chopped coriander and serve hot with butter-toasted pav, chopped onions and lemon wedges by the side.