Khada Pav Bhaji

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Khada pav bhaji is a delicious variant of the traditional and popular Mumbai Pav Bhaji where the vegetables are not mashed but kept whole as chunks. This variant is also served by the street food carts in Mumbai as well as in some restaurants. Serve with some fluffy dinner rolls aka pav or with some soft roti or chapati for a filling and satisfying meal.

khada pav bhaji served in a plate with sides of pav and chopped onions, lemon wedges.

Basically in this version, the chopped and cooked vegetables are kept intact and chunky. The veggies are not mashed. That’s it. The recipe for making khada pav bhaji, is same as the regular one.

I have had khada pav bhaji umpteen times in Mumbai along with Paneer Pav Bhaji. Since it is a favorite dish, I do make it often. This time I decided to make khada pav bhaji, instead of mashed version. If you have not tried this version, then you must try it. I do like mashed bhaji but if you give me an option between mashed and khada pav bhaji, then I will go for the kada pav bhaji.

You might feel that it is more like eating a typically onion-tomato based mixed vegetable dish. But it is not. Khada pav bhaji has the pav bhaji taste and feel to it as the pav bhaji masala powder is also added.

Something about adding onions to bhaji. I have made bhaji both with and without onions and I like the taste of both. You decide and choose as per your taste, if you want to add onions to the recipe or not.

In this recipe though, I have added onions. By the way, till now, I have always seen the pav bhaji wallahs in Mumbai adding onions while making bhaji. And as a teen too when I used to make this dish at home, I used to add onions to the recipe. However, if you wish then you can skip adding onions and the bhaji will still taste good.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to Make Khada Pav Bhaji

1. First take the chopped veggies, mainly:

  • ½ to ¾ cup cauliflower florets
  • 2 medium potatoes – cubed
  • 2 to 3 small carrots – cubed
  • ⅓ cup green peas – fresh or frozen
  • ¼ cup french beans – chopped

You can either rinse or chop them or rinse after chopping them.

chopped veggies

2. Keep the veggies in a pan or stovetop pressure cooker. Now add water to the veggies just about covering them.

You can also steam the veggies in a pan or the pressure cooker.

chopped veggies in pressure cooker with water

4. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt or as required.

salt added

5. Pressure cook or boil the veggies for 1 to 2 whistles or till they are almost softened and tender. Do not overcook the veggies.

cooked veggies in cooker

6. In the picture below, the veggies are cooked. Strain the veggies and keep the broth or stock aside.

straining water from the cooked veggies

7. In the meantime, when the vegetables are cooking, you can prepare the following ingredients:

  • 1 medium-sized onion – finely chopped
  • 1 green chilli – finely chopped
  • 1 inch ginger – Note that half of the ginger is to be chopped and the remaining half to be made into a paste.
  • 2 medium-sized tomatoes – finely chopped
  • 1 medium-sized capsicum – finely chopped
chopped ingredients in bowls

8. In the mortar and pestle crush the remaining half of the ginger and 5 to 6 medium sized garlic cloves. You can keep it coarsely crushed or make a fine paste. You could also use ready ginger-garlic paste.

ginger garlic paste in a mortar pestle

9. In a kadai or a big tava or skillet heat around 2 tablespoons butter or oil.

butter in pan

10. Add the finely chopped onions and saute stirring often till they become translucent.

onions added to pan

11. Then add the finely chopped tomatoes.

tomatoes added

12. Also add the finely chopped ginger, green chilies and capsicum.

ginger green chili capsicum added

13. Stir and saute for 7 to 8 minutes stirring in between till the tomatoes soften and become mushy.

sauteing tomatoes

14. Now add ¼ teaspoon red chili powder and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.

red chili powder and turmeric powder added

15. Mix the spice powders and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.

mixing spices with veggie mixture

16. Add the ginger-garlic paste or crushed ginger-garlic.

ginger garlic paste added

17. Mix it very well and saute for 2 minutes more.

mixing and continue to saute

18. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter to the masala.

butter added

19. Add the boiled vegetables.

boiled veggies added

20. Stir and mix gently to combine.

mixing veggies with mixture

21. Add ½ to 1 tablespoon Pav Bhaji Masala Powder.

pav bhaji masala added

22. Add about 1 or 1.5 cups of stock or water or both stock+water.

water added

23. Gently mix the entire mixture.

mixing water with the mixture

24. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes on low heat till the gravy thickens a bit.

simmering khada pav bhaji

25. Keep checking the bhaji in between and give a stir.

cooking kada pav bhaji

26. Now, add the garam masala powder and gently mix it with the rest of the bhaji.

garam masala powder added to khada pav bhaji

27. Lastly, add chopped coriander leaves. Check the taste and adjust spices and salt as per your taste. The bhaji is ready now to be served with the pav.

cooked bhaji

28. Slice the pavs into equal half. Lightly toast or pan fry them on the tava or griddle with some butter.

Lightly toast on both sides of the pav adding butter as needed. You can use any type of pav like whole wheat pav or made with all-purpose flour.

But make sure that the pav is soft so that it soaks up the bhaji gravy.

pav on tawa

Serve the Khada Pav Bhaji topped with butter and with warm pav, chopped onion and chopped lemon or lime.

Garnish the bhaji with coriander leaves. While eating top the bhaji with onions and squeeze some lemon or lime juice on top.

Dip the pav in the bhaji and enjoy.

kada pav bhaji served in a plate with sides of pav and chopped onions, lemon wedges

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khada pav bhaji recipe

Khada Pav Bhaji (With Vegetable Chunks)

Khada pav bhaji is a variation of pav bhaji where the chopped and cooked vegetables are kept intact, chunky and not mashed. A different and unique street food from Mumbai.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Cuisine Indian Street Food, Mumbai Street Food
Course Snacks
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 3 bowls
Units

Ingredients

  • ½ to ¾ cup cauliflower florets
  • 2 to 3 small carrots – cubed
  • ¼ cup french beans – chopped
  • 2 medium potatoes – cubed
  • cup green peas – fresh or frozen
  • 1 medium onion – finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes – finely chopped
  • 1 green chili – finely chopped
  • 1 medium sized capsicum, (bell pepper) – finely chopped
  • 1 inch ginger – use half of the ginger for making the ginger-garlic paste and half to be chopped
  • 5 to 6 medium sized garlic cloves – chopped
  • ½ to 1 tablespoon Pav Bhaji Masala
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • a few sprigs of coriander leaves, for garnish
  • chopped lemon to be served with pav bhaji
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons butter or oil – preferably amul butter
  • salt as required
  • water as required

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • First take the chopped veggies, mainly: cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, peas and beans. Keep these in a pan or cooker. Now add water to the veggies just about covering them.
  • Pressure cook or boil the veggies for 1 to 2 whistles or till they are almost cooked. Do not over cook the veggies. Strain the veggies and keep the broth or stock aside.
  • In the meantime, when the vegetables are cooking, chop the onions, green chillies, ginger, tomatoes and capsicum.
  • In the mortar and pestle crush the remaining half ginger and garlic cloves. You can keep it coarsely crushed or make a fine paste. You could also use ready ginger-garlic paste.

Making khada pav bhaji

  • In a kadai or a big tava or skillet heat up 2 tablespoons of oil or butter. Add the onions and saute stirring often till they become transparent.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes, ginger, green chillies and capsicum. Saute for 7 to 8 minutes stirring in between.
  • Now add the red chili powder and turmeric powder. Mix the powders and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add in the ginger garlic paste or crushed ginger garlic. Mix it and saute for 2 minutes more.
  • Add 1 to 2 tablespoon butter to the masala. 
  • Add the boiled vegetables and the pav bhaji masala powder.
  • Add about 1 or 1.5 cups of broth or water or both broth+water. Gently mix the entire mixture.
  • Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes on a low heat. Keep checking the bhaji in between and give a stir often.
  • Now, add the garam masala powder and gently mix it with the rest of the bhaji.
  • Lastly, add chopped coriander leaves.
  • Your khada pav bhaji is ready now. Slice the pavs and fry them on the tava or griddle with some butter. Serve the bhaji topped with butter with the warm pavs, chopped onion and chopped lemon.
  • Garnish the bhaji with coriander leaves while serving.

Notes

  • This recipe can be scaled to make a small or a big batch.
  • You can alter the proportions of the vegetables used.
  • To make a spicy version add more green chilies and red chili powder.
  • For a wholesome meal serve with whole wheat pav or roti.
  • The vegetables can be steamed or cooked in a pan or Instant pot or stovetop pressure cooker adding water as required. However keep in mind to cook the vegetables until they are almost tender. Don’t overcook them as later they can get mushy and pasty while cooking.

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This Khada Pav Bhaji post from the archives (September 2010) has been republished and updated on 25 September 2021.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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