Pav Bhaji

AuthorPriyanka SivaramakrishnanDifficultyIntermediate

Soft toasted buns served with a spicy, tangy, mixed vegetable curry, a side of chopped onions, minced cilantro, and a wedge of lime. Recipe adapted from Hebbar's Kitchen.

Yields4 Servings
Prep Time2 hrsCook Time30 minsTotal Time2 hrs 30 mins
For the milk bun
 1 ¼ cups Milk
 2 tsp Dry active yeast (1 packet)
 2 tsp Sugar
 3 cups All purpose flour
 ½ tsp Salt
 2 tbsp Butter
 Butter for basting in the end
For the bhaji
 2 tbsp Butter
 2 Potatoes (boiled and mashed)
 1 Tomato (chopped)
 1 cup Capsicum (chopped)
 ½ cup Peas
 Salt to taste
 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
 2 tsp Turmeric powder
 ½ tsp Coriander powder
 ½ tsp Cumin powder
 ½ tsp Amla powder
 ½ tsp Fenugreek leaves (dried and crushed)
 2 tbsp Cilantro (chopped)
 1 Onion (finely diced)
 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
 1 Lime
The pav
1

In a large bowl, pour in some warm milk, a teaspoon of sugar and 2 teaspoons of yeast. Let this bloom for 5-10 minutes.

2

Slowly add the flour and salt and knead it until it becomes soft. Add about a tablespoon of butter (room temp) and knead it some more. You can also use a stand mixer with the hook attachment.

3

Once you are satisfied and the dough no longer breaks when you fold it, keep it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and keep in a warm place for an hour. It should have doubled in size by them. 

4

Lightly punch the dough to release the air and divide it into 8-12 equal parts.

5

Gently roll them into a ball and place them on a baking tray, about an inch away from each other. Cover them and let them sit for another 20 minutes, they will increase in size, almost double again.

6

Bake at 350 for about 20 mins, until the top becomes brown. Once out, brush the tops with butter to make them all soft and buttery. 

The bhaji
7

In a big heated pan, add a dollop of butter and let it melt. Add chopped tomatoes, capsicum, peas, and mashed boiled potatoes, along with half a teaspoon of salt. Saute for a couple of minutes and add about half a cup of water. Cover and let this cook for 10-15 minutes.

8

Once done, mash them all together and add 1 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1/2 tsp of coriander, and 1/2 tsp of amla powder, along with some crushed kasuri methi and chopped coriander. Mix well.

9

Now push all the masala to the sides and make a hole in the middle. Add a dollop of butter, chopped onions, minced coriander, a tsp of ginger garlic paste, and 1/2 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder and cook it down a little.

10

Add some water and cook it down until the consistency satisfies you. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.

The assembly
11

Split the pav into half, apply butter generously and place it on a hot pan till it gets a light brown colour on each side.

12

Serve the roasted pav with a big spoonful of hot bhaji (with a dollop of butter), chopped onions, and a wedge of lime.

Ingredients

For the milk bun
 1 ¼ cups Milk
 2 tsp Dry active yeast (1 packet)
 2 tsp Sugar
 3 cups All purpose flour
 ½ tsp Salt
 2 tbsp Butter
 Butter for basting in the end
For the bhaji
 2 tbsp Butter
 2 Potatoes (boiled and mashed)
 1 Tomato (chopped)
 1 cup Capsicum (chopped)
 ½ cup Peas
 Salt to taste
 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
 2 tsp Turmeric powder
 ½ tsp Coriander powder
 ½ tsp Cumin powder
 ½ tsp Amla powder
 ½ tsp Fenugreek leaves (dried and crushed)
 2 tbsp Cilantro (chopped)
 1 Onion (finely diced)
 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
 1 Lime

Directions

The pav
1

In a large bowl, pour in some warm milk, a teaspoon of sugar and 2 teaspoons of yeast. Let this bloom for 5-10 minutes.

2

Slowly add the flour and salt and knead it until it becomes soft. Add about a tablespoon of butter (room temp) and knead it some more. You can also use a stand mixer with the hook attachment.

3

Once you are satisfied and the dough no longer breaks when you fold it, keep it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and keep in a warm place for an hour. It should have doubled in size by them. 

4

Lightly punch the dough to release the air and divide it into 8-12 equal parts.

5

Gently roll them into a ball and place them on a baking tray, about an inch away from each other. Cover them and let them sit for another 20 minutes, they will increase in size, almost double again.

6

Bake at 350 for about 20 mins, until the top becomes brown. Once out, brush the tops with butter to make them all soft and buttery. 

The bhaji
7

In a big heated pan, add a dollop of butter and let it melt. Add chopped tomatoes, capsicum, peas, and mashed boiled potatoes, along with half a teaspoon of salt. Saute for a couple of minutes and add about half a cup of water. Cover and let this cook for 10-15 minutes.

8

Once done, mash them all together and add 1 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1/2 tsp of coriander, and 1/2 tsp of amla powder, along with some crushed kasuri methi and chopped coriander. Mix well.

9

Now push all the masala to the sides and make a hole in the middle. Add a dollop of butter, chopped onions, minced coriander, a tsp of ginger garlic paste, and 1/2 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder and cook it down a little.

10

Add some water and cook it down until the consistency satisfies you. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.

The assembly
11

Split the pav into half, apply butter generously and place it on a hot pan till it gets a light brown colour on each side.

12

Serve the roasted pav with a big spoonful of hot bhaji (with a dollop of butter), chopped onions, and a wedge of lime.

Pav Bhaji


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