This is Pav Bhaji, a mashed vegetable dish with a spicy tangy base that is served with soft fluffy dinner rolls called Pav. This recipe is my go-to recipe when I have a lot of leftover vegetables that are breathing their last breath. I have explained the ingredients and method to prepare in detail in the next few sections.

What is Pav Bhaji?

This delectable fast food dish is a household favourite of almost everyone. It originates from the state of Maharashtra and is a popular fast food that has now made its way to the rest of the country. Pav means dinner rolls or bread and bhaji means sabzi or veggie preparation. Ideally, the Pav bhaji is made by boiling a bunch of vegetables and then adding them to an onion-tomato gravy base. Once the vegetables have been coated in the masala, they are mashed into a grainy pulp.

How to prepare Bhaji in Pav Bhaji? (detailed recipe)

My aim for this recipe was to bring to light all the veggies that go waste in our kitchens on a daily basis. Did you know that food waste totals up to million tonnes each year and nearly 570 million tonnes of this waste occurs in household kitchens? That’s a LOT of waste considering the number of people who are having food scarcity in this world. I am not trying to bum you out with these facts but I want to bring to light the things that are in our control viz. using leftover veggies and ingredients instead of just throwing them out.

The secret ingredient is the Pav Bhaji Masala – which you can procure from any Indian shop or make it at home if you prefer. The amount used can vary depending on your taste buds and spice tolerance capacity. I like it on the higher end

This classic Maharashtrian dish has been blessed with @ beextravegant’s magic touch.

Ingredients for Pav Bhaji (in this recipe)

• Cauliflower

• Potatoes

• Carrots

• Green peas: frozen or fresh

• Bell peppers

• Garlic: minced

• Ginger: Minced

Alternatively or additionally, you can also use chopped green beans, radishes, beetroot, cabbage etc.

Method to prepare bhaji

Cooking the vegetables

1. Add all the chopped vegetables to a pressure cooker with enough water, and a pinch of salt and cook them until soft.
2. Pressure cook the veggies for about 12 minutes on medium flame or 20 minutes in a pot. (If you have leftover vegetables that have already been prepared, do not add them to the pressure cooker.
3. Roughly chop the vegetables that have been cooked and keep them aside.

For Gravy base

1. Add 2-3 tbsp neutral oil in a hot pan and add cumin seeds – roast until they crackle. Continue to add chopped onions and saute until golden brown and translucent.
2. Add the minced ginger and chopped green chillies. Once the raw garlic smell subsides, add diced tomatoes.
3. Add a pinch of salt and allow the tomatoes to get soft. Sauté on low to medium heat till the tomatoes turn soft and the oil starts releasing from the sides.
4. Add the spices: turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and Pav Bhaji Masala.
5. Add the cooked veggies along with the stock or water from the pressure cooker or pot that they were cooking in. Add salt and mix well.
6. With a potato masher, mash the veggies directly in the pan (make sure it’s not a non-stick pan in case you use a metal masher).
7. Mash the veggies according to the consistency you prefer. I prefer somewhere in between super smooth and super chunky. For a smooth mixture, mash more.
8. Keep on stirring occasionally while the bhaji simmers for about 8-9 more minutes. The bhaji is ready to be served.

For plating

This bhaji is usually served with Pav or dinner rolls. Ingredients for plating and garnishing are:

• Pav (dinner rolls)
• 3 to 4 tbsp Vegan butter – for roasting pav and topping the bhaji
• 3-4 lemon wedges
• 1 onion – medium to large, finely chopped
• 6-7 stalks of coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish

Serve the bhaji with a bit of vegan butter, chopped coriander, chopped red onions and a squeeze of lemon along with the pav! Enjoy!

Q: Can I customize the vegetables to go into Pav Bhaji? A: Yes, definitely! The most common vegetables include potatoes, cauliflower, green peas, tomatoes, bell peppers, and carrots. You can customize it with seasonal veggies, just keep in mind the moisture levels of each vegetable so that you can adjust the cooking time accordingly. Vegetables with higher moisture content need to be cooked longer to cook out the water.

Q: What can I use instead of pav if I can’t find it? A: You can use burger buns, dinner rolls, or even toasted sandwich bread. The key is to toast them well with vegan butter or oil.

Q: How spicy is Pav Bhaji? A: It’s moderately spicy, but you can adjust the heat to taste by reducing chili powder or green chilies. Adding a bit of sugar and lemon juice can also help balance spice levels.

Q: Can I make Pav Bhaji ahead of time? A: Absolutely! The bhaji actually tastes better the next day as the flavors develop. Reheat it on the stovetop and toast the pav just before serving.

Q: Can I freeze Pav Bhaji? A: Yes, the bhaji freezes well for up to 2 months. Store it in an airtight container and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Pav is best fresh or frozen separately.

Q: Is Pav Bhaji gluten-free? A: The bhaji is naturally gluten-free, but pav (bread rolls) usually contains gluten. Use gluten-free bread or buns if needed.

Q: What toppings go best with Pav Bhaji? A: Chopped onions, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a dollop of vegan butter, and plenty of coriander are traditional and delicious!

Similar to Pav Bhaji

Give my other vegetable-based dishes a try:

1. Achinga Kaya Mezhekkupuratti
2. Sambar with Idli
3. Pumpkin/Kaddu Sabji
4. Easy Creamy Kidney Bean Dip

Pav Bhaji – Spicy Vegetable Mash

Ingredients1x2x3x

Vegetables for the Bhaji

• 2-3 Potatoes large to medium
• 1 cup cauliflower, roughly chopped about 130 g
• 1 cup carrot, roughly chopped about 130 g
• 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen about 140 g
• 1 bell pepper green, red, or yellow
• Enough water – for pressure-cooking or boiling the veggies in a pot

For gravy base

• 2-3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 medium to large onion
• 1 tbsp minced ginger and garlic 1-inch ginger & 3 large garlic cloves minced, or ginger-garlic paste
• 1 to 2 green chilies chopped
• 2 to 3 large tomatoes diced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2-3 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 2 to 3 tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala
• Additional water for the gravy as needed
• salt to taste

For plating and garnishing

• 1 pack Pav vegan dinner rolls
• 3 to 4 tbsp Vegan butter
• 3-4 lemon wedges
• 1 onion – medium to large finelychopped
• 6-7 stalks of coriander leaves chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Cooking veggies

• Rinse, peel and chop the veggies in equal sizes
• Place all of them, including the green peas, in a pressure cooker on a large pot with enough water covering the veggies.
• Pressure cook the veggies for about 12 minutes on medium flame or 20 minutes on a pot.
• When the pressure naturally releases, keep aside and check for doneness.

Gravy base:

• Heat oil in a pan and add 1 tsp cumin seeds.
• Once they crackle and start to change colour, add finely chopped onions to it.
• Saute on a low to medium flame till the onions turn golden.
• Then add minced ginger and garlic. Cook till the raw smell of ginger and garlic go away.
• Add chopped green chilies and tomatoes. Saute well. (Add water if the tomatoes start sticking to the bottom)
• Then add ground turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder and pan bhaji masala, and mix well.

Making the Bhaji

• Add the cooked veggies along with the stock or water from the pressure cooker or pot. Add salt and mix well.
• With a potato masher, mash the veggies directly in the pan.
• Mash the veggies according to the consistency you prefer. For a smooth mixture, mash more.
• Keep on mashing/stirring occasionally while the bhaji simmers for about 8-9 more minutes.

Assemble the Pav and Bhaji

• Toast/fry the pav in butter and 1-2 tsp Pav Bhaji masala (dropped directly onto the butter) until the pav turns reddish-golden and crispy.
• Serve the bhaji with a bit of vegan butter, chopped coriander, and chopped red onions on top along with the pav.

Nutrition

Aloo Dum is a spicy potato-based recipe with variations all around India. This is the Odia version made with simple ingredients and cooking techniques. This Aloo recipe is very similar to other Indian gravy-based dishes except that it is slow-cooked. The dish has a spicy and tangy onion tomato base that coats the potato chunks and is served with roti , basmati rice or a famous Odisha Stree Food – Dahi Bara with Aloo Dum.

My Inspiration

When I started my journey as a vegan, every time I tried to recreate a new recipe in my kitchen – I would be in awe of the flavours, spices, taste and texture that would come alive on my plate. And I couldn’t wait to share these lesser-known recipes with the rest of the world.

Although there is enough representation of Indian cuisine, there are some regions of India that are less discovered. One of those regions is the East of India where the flavours and dishes change with every state. So, here I am trying to make my recipes as inclusive and diverse as possible so that you too get an explosion and fusion of flavours in your kitchen.

Dahi Vada and Aloo Dum are delicious combinations of creamy, soft Vadas soaked in spiced yoghurt with Aloo coated in garlic, onion and tomato-based gravy. You can check out my recipe for Dahi Vada and I would highly recommend you make both and have them together.

How to make Aloo Dum? (Tips and Tricks)

Prepping the Vegetables:

This recipe required the potato pieces to be on the chunky side and cutting them up into smaller pieces will not give the same effect. So, keep the potato pieces close to an inch or bigger. on the other hand, the onions are finely chopped. The science behind cutting up your veggies in particular sizes is that onion releases more of its flavours when finely chopped. This flavour is what creates the base of the aromatic gravy and coats the potato pieces.

Method

1. Peel and chop your potatoes, onions and tomatoes. In a heated pan, add vegetable oil. Once it’s hot add bay leaves and dry red chillies. Roast until flavourful.

2. Add ginger garlic paste to this mix and cook until the raw smell goes away. Then add chopped tomatoes. Add a pinch of salt over the tomatoes, to cook them quicker, basically adding salt makes the tomatoes release their water faster making them soft.

3. Once the tomatoes are done, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder coriander powder and mix well. Add the chopped potatoes and mix well until all the masalas have coated the potato pieces.

4. Cover and let the potatoes cook for 7-10 minutes on medium-low heat. Allow the flavours to coat the potatoes.

5. Add 1 cup water and cover again. Cook until the gravy is semi-thick. Serve hot with roti or on the side with Dahi Vada.

And there you go. Dum Aloo is ready to get demolished. The best way to eat this is with Dahi Vada ( If I haven’t mentioned it already :P) but you could also eat it with fried puris, hot Rotis or steaming hot rice. Try this Aloo Dum with Dahi Vada combination and let me know how you like it. Drop a comment if you have any feedback. If you want to reach out to me on my social media, head over to @beextravegant. 🙂 See you in the next recipe. Ciao!

Check out my other Breakfast recipes from around the world:

1. Punjab – Aloo Parantha
2. Assam – Til Pitha
3. Gujarat – Khaman Dhokla

Aloo Dum

Ingredients1x2x3x

Dum Aloo

• 2 pieces dried red chillies
• 1 big bay leaf
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 2-3 large potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 1 tsp Salt or to taste
• 3 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder

Garnishing

• 1/2 cup Corriander leaves chopped
• 1 small onion – finely chopped

Instructions

• In a heated pan, add vegetable oil. Once it’s hot, add bay leaves and dried red chillies. Roast until fragrant.
• Add chopped onions to this and sauté until golden brown on a medium to low medium heat.
• Add ginger garlic paste (or minced ginger and garlic) and sauté until the raw smell goes away.
• Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 4-5 minutes on medium heat.
• Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix well and cook that for about 2 minutes.
• Add the chopped potato pieces and mix until the spicy tomato base coats the potato pieces.
• Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes minutes on a medium to low heat, until the potatoes turn soft.
• Then, add half a cup of water and cook again for 2-3 minutes.
• Serve with roti, basmati rice or Odia Dahi Bara. Garnish with corriander leaves, red chilli powder and finely chopped onions

Nutrition

Introducing you to Indian Dim sums or Momos. MoMos are bite-sized delicacies made with spoonfuls of stuffing wrapped in dumpling wrappers. One can serve these vegetable Momos with a variety of side sauces including red chilli chutney, ketchup, and mayonnaise as well. I am sure you might have come across variations of this dish at least once in your life in the form of dumplings, dim sums or even Gyozas. These little pockets of treats belong to the dumpling lineage and are a big hit in many South Asian Countries.

Origin Of MoMos

Momos are native to the Tibetan and Nepalese regions and were brought to India in the 20th Century. They are Nepalese or Tibetan versions of dim sums but can also be classified as a dumpling. People fill MoMos with either meat or vegetables. Due to their popularity, these flavourful dumplings now have a place in almost every Indian’s heart and are here to stay. And I hope this recipe makes its way to your heart as well.

What is a MoMo?

MoMos or Nepalese/Tibetan/Indian dim sums can occasionally be fried or steam-fried, but they are mostly steamed. The idea is to pack all the ingredients and flavourful broth into the wrappers, and steamed, fried, or steam-fried. It is filled with all kinds of fillings including meat, veggies, tofu, or even mock meat for those who want a vegan option. Momos are generally street food, sold in momo kiosks or carts, while fresh momos are steamed and served with a side of red chilly garlic chutney.

MoMos in India

One big misconception that runs around in India is that the East Indian states or the Chinese introduced MoMos to India. This is absolutely false. Momos are thought to have arrived in India during the 1960s, during a time when many Tibetan immigrants were moving to Indian regions like Ladakh, Darjeeling, Dharamshala, Sikkim, and Delhi. All of these places have now popularized the consumption of momos by mass-producing variations of momos including steamed, fried, steam-fried, tandoori momos, chocolate momos, and so on.

In this recipe I am going to show how you can make these yummy vegetable momos in your kitchen with a few simple, no-nonsense steps. Let’s clear out a few things, first.

Is it Momo or Dumpling or Dim sums?

To make things simple for you, think of dumplings as the mother and all the other variations as the little babies including momos and dim sums. Depending on the region, Dim sums are native to the Cantonese region of China, and a Nepalese or Tibetan adaptation of the same is called a Momo. Dumplings are wheat-based appetisers with multiple fillings or none at all. As a result, Indian Samosas, Italian gnocchi, stuffed ravioli or even YOU will classify as a dumpling. 😛 Branching from the same family history, momos are predominantly of maida (all-purpose flour) and wheat flour, while dim sums can be cooked with any type of flour, including rice, potato starch, and corn starch.

Now that we know a little bit about the history of Momos, let’s jump right into the recipe.

How to make Vegetable Momos and Red Chilli chutney ?

Vegetable Stuffing

1. Start by chopping the vegetables (processing them in a food processor until finely chopped). You can also use crumbled tofu or any mock meat of your choice as a filling.

2. In a pan heat oil, and add finely chopped garlic and minced ginger. Sauté for 2 to 3 seconds on medium-low heat. Add spring onion whites and sauté for half a minute, then add all the finely chopped vegetables.

2. Stir fry the vegetables on a medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.. Then add soy sauce, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Switch off the flame and add the spring onions/scallion greens. Mix well.

Making the momos

1. Apply some water along the rim of the dumpling wrapper. Place 2 or 3 tsp of vegetable stuffing in the center of a dumpling wrapper, then pleat and close up the dumplings.

2. Prepare all momos this way and keep them covered under a moist paper towel or napkin, so they don’t dry out until you are ready to steam.

3. In a greased steamer steam the momos for about 5-6 minutes. When you touch the momo the dough should not feel sticky and be kind of translucent

Spicy red chutney

1. Drop the red chillies and tomatoes in boiling water and cook for about 8 minutes to blanch the tomatoes and rehydrate the red chillies. Once blanched and cooled, remove the skins of the tomatoes carefully.

2. Add red chillies, garlic, tomatoes, oil, salt, sugar and soy sauce (roughly chopped if required) to a blender and blend smooth. Serve with hot momos.

And that’s how simple it can get. I created a video for this recipe over on my Instagram in collaboration with Em from MyriadRecipes . Go check out her work as well!

So, give this recipe a try and let me know how you liked the Momos or the Spicy chutney. I would love to see you try it out. Much love <3

Also, check out my other steamed dishes:

1. Khaman Dhokla – Steam gram flour cakes
2. Idli – steamed rice cakes
3. Vegan Ela Ada – Kerala delicacy

Fried Momos and Spicy Chutney

Ingredients1x2x3x

Momo Wrapper

• 1 pack Store-bought or homemade dumpling wrappers

Momo Filling

• 1 tbsp Oil to saute vegetables
• 2 stalks Spring onions/scallions finely chopped. Save some of the greens for garnishing
• 3 Garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp Ginger minced
• 1.5 cup Finely chopped veggies suggestions: cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, beans, crumbled tofu
• 1 tsp Soy sauce or add as requried
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• salt to taste

Spicy chutney

• 8 Dry red chillis
• 5 Garlic cloves
• 3 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Soy sauce
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2-3 Tomatoes 2 if large, 3 if medium
• 3 tsp Sugar

Instructions

Vegetable stuffing

• Chop the vegetables by knife or processing them in a food processor until finely chopped.
• Make sure the vegetables are coarsely chopped and not minced.
• In a pan heat oil, and add finely chopped garlic and minced ginger. Sauté for 2 to 3 seconds on medium-low heat.
• Add spring onion whites and sauté for half a minute, then add all the finely chopped vegetables.
• Stir fry the vegetables on a medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until soft.
• Add soy sauce, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
• Switch off the flame and top it off with the spring onions/scallion greens. Mix well.
• Set the stuffing aside until it cools completely.

Making the momos

• Place 2 or 3 tsp of vegetable stuffing in the center of a dumpling wrapper.
• Pleat and close up the dumplings.
• Prepare all momos this way and keep them covered under a moist paper towel or napkin, so they don’t dry out until you are ready to steam.
• At this point you can decide to whether fry them, or steam them or steam and fry as well.
• If you are stemaing the momos: then in a greased steamer steam the momos for about 5-6 minutes. if they turn translucent then the momos are done.
• For Fried: Drop the wrapped momos in hot oil and fry until golden and crispy. Serve with a spicy garlic momo chutney.

Spicy red chutney

• Drop the red chillies and tomatoes in boiling water and cook for about 8 minutes to blanch the tomatoes and rehydrate the red chillies.
• Once blanched and cooled, remove the skins of the tomatoes carefully. Add all ingredients, roughly chopped if required, to a blender and blend smooth.

Nutrition

Pav Bhaji - Spicy Vegetable Mash

Ingredients1x2x3x

Vegetables for the Bhaji

• 2-3 Potatoes large to medium
• 1 cup cauliflower, roughly chopped about 130 g
• 1 cup carrot, roughly chopped about 130 g
• 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen about 140 g
• 1 bell pepper green, red, or yellow
• Enough water - for pressure-cooking or boiling the veggies in a pot

For gravy base

• 2-3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 medium to large onion
• 1 tbsp minced ginger and garlic 1-inch ginger & 3 large garlic cloves minced, or ginger-garlic paste
• 1 to 2 green chilies chopped
• 2 to 3 large tomatoes diced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2-3 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 2 to 3 tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala
• Additional water for the gravy as needed
• salt to taste

For plating and garnishing

• 1 pack Pav vegan dinner rolls
• 3 to 4 tbsp Vegan butter
• 3-4 lemon wedges
• 1 onion - medium to large finelychopped
• 6-7 stalks of coriander leaves chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Cooking veggies

• Rinse, peel and chop the veggies in equal sizes
• Place all of them, including the green peas, in a pressure cooker on a large pot with enough water covering the veggies.
• Pressure cook the veggies for about 12 minutes on medium flame or 20 minutes on a pot.
• When the pressure naturally releases, keep aside and check for doneness.

Gravy base:

• Heat oil in a pan and add 1 tsp cumin seeds.
• Once they crackle and start to change colour, add finely chopped onions to it.
• Saute on a low to medium flame till the onions turn golden.
• Then add minced ginger and garlic. Cook till the raw smell of ginger and garlic go away.
• Add chopped green chilies and tomatoes. Saute well. (Add water if the tomatoes start sticking to the bottom)
• Then add ground turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder and pan bhaji masala, and mix well.

Making the Bhaji

• Add the cooked veggies along with the stock or water from the pressure cooker or pot. Add salt and mix well.
• With a potato masher, mash the veggies directly in the pan.
• Mash the veggies according to the consistency you prefer. For a smooth mixture, mash more.
• Keep on mashing/stirring occasionally while the bhaji simmers for about 8-9 more minutes.

Assemble the Pav and Bhaji

• Toast/fry the pav in butter and 1-2 tsp Pav Bhaji masala (dropped directly onto the butter) until the pav turns reddish-golden and crispy.
• Serve the bhaji with a bit of vegan butter, chopped coriander, and chopped red onions on top along with the pav.

Nutrition