homemade pav bhaji masala powder recipe with step by step photos – a spice mix that is added to the famous mumbai pav bhaji.
this is a strong and aromatic masala and the pav bhaji that you will make with it, will only get better.
for the first time i made pav bhaji masala powder altering the proportions of garam masala that i use and adding some more ingredients to it. this masala is so good, that when i added it to the pav bhaji, the taste became phenomenal. it was very much like the pav bhaji served in mumbai. since the masala is strong, hence add only 2 to 3 teaspoons when making pav bhaji for 4 to 5 servings.
the recipe of pav bhaji masala powder is fairly simple and easy. a few suggestions before you begin:
- take the spices. then check if they have stones and are clean.
- make sure there is no hidden mold growing in them.
- also use fresh spices and not old ones.
- sun dry or roast the spices in a pan or oven.
- while using cinnamon, use the true cinnamon (ceylon cinnamon) and not cassia. to know how to find the difference, you can read this post here.
i usually sun dry spices when making spice blends like garam masala or pav bhaji masala powder. you can sun dry for a couple of days (2 to 3 days). then grind them in a dry grinder. bottle and store.
if you do not get sunlight, then you can roast the spices one by one in the pan till aromatic. or else you can roast them in an oven. the oven has to be set at its lowest temperature. the temperature can range anywhere between 50 degrees celsius/122 degrees fahrenheit to 80 degrees celsius/194 fahrenheit. depending on the temperature range, you may dry them for about 6 hours to 15 hours.
i have mentioned the amount of spices to be used in grams as well as cups and tablespoon measurements.
apart from adding the masala to pav bhaji, you can also use this in sabzis & stir fries. the masala can also be added to masala rice, tawa pulao, idli masala and masala pav.
you can also check these few variations of pav bhaji recipes:
homemade pav bhaji masala powder
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
- ¼ cup cumin seeds (jeera) or 26 grams cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf) or 15 grams fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds (sabut dhania) or 11 grams coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon mace (javitri) or 3 grams mace
- 1 tablespoon cloves (lavang) or 6 grams cloves
- 1 tablespoon black pepper (sabut kali mirch) or 10 grams black pepper
- 5 to 6 grams black cardamoms (badi elaichi) or 2 black cardamoms
- 3 star anise (chakriphool) or 2 grams star anise
- 1 small nutmeg (jaiphal) or 5 grams nutmeg
- 5 cinnamon sticks (dalchini) - each of about 2 inches or 4 grams cinnamon
- 5 to 6 dry red chilies (sookhi lal mirch) - preferably kashmiri red chilies, 4 grams dry red chilies
- 2 tablespoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
- 1 tablespoon dry ginger powder (saunth)
- 2 teaspoon black salt or rock salt or regular salt - optional
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi) - optional
how to make homemade pav bhaji masala powder
preparation for pav bhaji masala powder
- first take all the whole spices. exclude dry mango powder, dry ginger powder, turmeric powder and black salt.
- check and pick the spices for stones if any. also check if there are molds on them.
sun drying spices
- add the whole spices in a plate or tray. keep in the sun for 2 to 3 days.
cover with a sieved lid or a muslin or loosely woven cotton napkin, so that dust does not fall on the spices, when they are being sun dried.
during the day, i would keep the spices out. during night, i would keep the plate inside with a loose lid covering it.
making pav bhaji masala powder
- before you begin, grinding the whole spices, take the nutmeg in a mortar-pestle and crush it coarsely. keep aside.
- now add all the whole spices in the dry grinder jar. you can also use a coffee grinder. add according to the capacity of the jar.
- then add the coarsely crushed nutmeg powder.
- grind to a smooth powder.
- then add ginger powder, dry mango powder, black salt and turmeric powder.
- if you do not have black salt, then you can add rock salt or regular salt. you can even skip it. turmeric powder is also optional and you can skip it too.
- again grind just to mix everything well.
- if you want, you can seive the powder and grind the tiny bits left on the seive.
let the pav bhaji masala powder cool down. you can spread it in a plate or allow it to cool in the jar itself. then spoon the powder in a clean glass jar.
cover tightly and keep in a cool dry place. you can also keep the pav bhaji masala powder in the fridge or freezer. this recipe yields about 100 grams of pav bhaji masala powder.
preparation to make pav bhaji masala powder
1. first take all the whole spices. below is an infograph of the spices required. i have not included turmeric powder in the picture. just take the whole spices and not the powdered ones like dry mango powder, dry ginger powder, turmeric powder and black salt.
2. add the whole spices in a plate or tray. keep in the sun for 2 to 3 days.
3. cover with a sieved lid or a muslin or loosely woven cotton napkin, so that dust does not fall on the spices, when they are being sun dried. during the day, i would keep the spices out. during night, i would keep the plate inside with a loose lid covering it.
4. in below pic spices after being sun dried for 2 days. after getting sun dried, whatever moisture the spices may have is not there and they also become slightly crisp.
5. before you begin, grinding the whole spices, take the small nutmeg in a mortar-pestle and crush it coarsely. keep aside.
making pav bhaji masala powder
6. now add all the whole spices in the dry grinder jar. you can also use a coffee grinder. add according to the capacity of the jar.
8. then add the coarsely crushed nutmeg powder.
9. grind to a smooth powder. tiny grits of the spices are fine in the masala.
10. then add 1 tablespoon ginger powder.
11. next add 2 tablespoon dry mango powder.
12. next add 2 teaspoon black salt. if you do not have black salt, then you can add rock salt or regular salt. you can even skip it.
13. lastly add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. turmeric powder is optional and you can skip it too.
14. again grind just to mix everything well.
15. if you want, you can seive the powder and grind the tiny bits left on the seive. let the powder cool down. you can spread it in a plate or allow it to cool in the jar itself. then spoon the pav bhaji masala powder in a clean glass jar.
16. cover tightly and keep in a cool dry place. you can also keep the pav bhaji masala powder in the fridge or freezer. this recipe yields about 100 grams of pav bhaji masala powder.
Hi Dassana I have been following your blog for years and the passion you have for it all is just amazing… I am unsure if you have given this a thought as yet but are you contemplating on selling any of the spices you make… the authenticity of your recipes and the way you curate them and being particular about the produce you use and how you use it along with the techniques is not a cup of tea for rookies ……if you do consider selling spices I shall be your first customer
thanks a lot elle for this lovely comment and suggestion. we do not have such plans. its a different ball game entirely and many things have to be considered. if at all i do start such a business, i will update it on the blog too. but right now we do not have such plans. thanks again.