Mumbai’s famous street food: buttery spiced mashed vegetables with toasted buns.
Prep: 15 min · Cook: 35 min · Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided, plus more for the buns
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped, divided
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons pav bhaji masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup water, as needed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 8 soft dinner rolls or slider buns
- Chopped fresh cilantro and lemon wedges
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes and cauliflower in salted water for 12 to 15 minutes, until very soft. Add the peas for the last 2 minutes. Drain and mash roughly.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook three-quarters of the onion and the bell pepper for 6 minutes.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, pav bhaji masala, paprika and salt. Cook for 8 minutes, until pulpy.
- Add the mashed vegetables and water. Mash everything together in the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, until thick and smooth.
- Stir in the lemon juice and remaining butter.
- Split the buns, butter the cut sides and toast in a skillet until golden.
- Serve the bhaji topped with the remaining raw onion, cilantro and a lemon wedge, with the buns alongside.
Tip: Pav bhaji masala is sold at Indian grocery stores and online. In a pinch, use 1 tablespoon garam masala plus 1 teaspoon each ground cumin and ground coriander.
Image prompt: Photorealistic food photography of a plate of pav bhaji, thick orange-red mashed vegetable curry topped with butter, chopped onion and cilantro, with buttered toasted buns and a lemon wedge. Soft natural window light, 45-degree angle, shallow depth of field, highly detailed, no text, no hands.
