Pav Bhaji hardly needs any introduction. It is one of the most popular street foods in Maharashtra, originating in the city of Bombay. It has an interesting history and supposedly came into being during the blockades of the American Civil War. Go figure!

Pav bhaji is made with a mélange of vegetables, typically potatoes, cauliflower, green peas, peppers and tomatoes, a bunch of spices, and a slab of butter. Everything is mashed up really good and this is dished up with dinner rolls fried or toasted in butter. I remember when the first Pav Bhaji cart showed up in our city. It was everyone’s favorite thing.

I think the winning factor with pav bhaji is the unique spicy taste, the tang – coming from loads of tomatoes and fresh squeezed lemons, and the butter which clogs the arteries but lifts your senses.

I have typically made many healthier versions of this, using Country crock spread or ‘I can’t believe..’ type spreads, and lotsa different kinds of veggies. But this one is true to its street roots. Please feel free to add any other veggies you like, or use margarine or butter substitutes.

I have also made my own dry spice mix here, instead of using the standard Everest or Badshah Pav Bhaji Masala spice mix. It makes a big difference and is worth a try.

The step by step recipe for Pav Bhaji is as follows.

I used this method at home this time. Even though time consuming, it lets you customize a lot. You can have a base bhaji version that is mildly spiced and then you can add as much butter as needed for a person, and spices to taste.

This is also a good way to extend it or thin it out for more number of people.

The above recipe easily yields 10-12 large servings. Pav Bhaji is a popular street food and is a must try at home.