Everyone loves Mumbai Pav Bhaji as it tastes so good, but if you use freshly ground Pav Bhaji Masala to make Pav Bhaji, it will accentuate it's taste further, making it even more flavoursome. And it's so quick and easy to make Pav Bhaji Masala at home.
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Spice mixes when stored for long time tend to lose their flavour and aroma, and ready-made, packed Pav Bhaji Masala is no different. Plus, ready-made masalas sometimes contain artificial flavours and colouring.
With homemade masala you know exactly what is in it. So, try using this freshly ground Pav Bhaji Masala recipe and see the difference for yourself. Here is a quick video of how to make Pav Bhaji Masala at home.
Quick, easy to follow video with step-by-step instructions of how to make Mumbai Pav Bhaji Masala:
Mouth-watering Pav Bhaji
A very popular street food of Mumbai, Pav Bhaji is made with a mix of vegetables that are sautéed, cooked, and mashed on a large tawa/griddle with lots of butter and a special mix of spices until it attains a smooth and thick consistency.
This Bombay Bhaji Pav is then served in a divided stainless-steel plate topped with some finely chopped onions, coriander/cilantro and some more butter that melts and trickles all over Pav Bhaji. Some soft Pavs / Indian white bread rolls that are toasted with plenty of butter on tawa / griddle are served on side along with a piece of lemon which is squeezed and mixed just before eating to add a burst of flavour to already delicious Pav Bhaji. The thought of having this flavoursome Pav Bhaji in itself is mouth-watering.
But the star of this scrumptious dish, a special mix of spices that gives Pav Bhaji its unique taste, flavour, and aroma, is Pav Bhaji Masala. Pav Bhaji won’t be called Pav Bhaji and just won’t taste the same and will only be a mix of vegetables if this particular Pav Bhaji Masala is not used!!
The combination of spices and the amount used to make this unique blend of flavours does vary slightly from person to person, but the basic mix remains the same.
Roasting Patiently
To make Pav Bhaji Masala flavourful, you first need to roast the spices until they turn aromatic. But this should be done on LOW HEAT ONLY whilst mixing continuously as spices tend to burn very quickly and burnt spices will entirely spoil your masala!
Also, as different spices need different amount of time to get roasted properly, they shouldn’t be roasted all together. Rather they should be grouped together with spices that need similar amount of time for roasting and then roasted in batches, as shown in the video.
Be extra careful with dried red chillies, as they tend to burn very quickly, so keep a close eye on them whilst mixing continuously. The number of red chillies used in this Pav Bhaji Masala recipe can be adjusted to your taste; use more chillies if you want a spicier masala and less if you want a milder masala.
It is important that you allow all the roasted spices to cool down COMPLETLEY before grinding them to a fine powder.
Note that salt, dry ginger powder (sonth) and dry mango powder (amchur) should not be roasted and should only be added to grinding jar just before grinding.
That’s it, fresh, homemade Pav Bhaji Masala is ready in just a few minutes! It can be stored in a dry, air-tight container; but if you ask me, I always prefer to make and use it fresh just before making Pav Bhaji, as it only takes a few minutes and makes Pav Bhaji all the more flavourful when used fresh.
Delicious Pav Bhaji is a perfect, any time meal whether it’s a heavy breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner and this easy Pav Bhaji Masala recipe will give it a distinct taste. Try to make this scrumptious Indian street food using this Homemade Pav Bhaji Masala today.
Here is a very simple and easy Pav Bhaji recipe explained in detail for you to follow, so that you can effortlessly make Mumbai style Pav Bhaji at home.
If you are in a hurry and own an Instant Pot, you can also quickly make this flavoursome Pav Bhaji in Instant Pot without compromising on taste. Here’s a quick video of how to make Instant Pot Pav Bhaji.
And how about serving this tasty Pav Bhaji with pillowy soft, homemade Ladi Pavs. Yes of course, you can always buy readymade Ladi Pavs from the bakery, but when you bake them fresh at home, your house fills with their strong, pleasant aroma and makes them absolutely irresistible. Baking Ladi Pavs at home makes your house feel like a bakery!! Here’s an easy, uncomplicated recipe video with step-by-step instructions and precise measurements to make Ladi Pav at home which I have shared.
You can also make a spicy, slightly tangy, and mouth-wateringly delicious Mumbai Street Style Masala Pav using this Pav Bhaji Masala. Click here to see a quick and easy recipe video of how to make Masala Pav.
Check out the Recipe Card and Step-by-Step Instructions with Photos below.
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Step-by-step instructions with photos for Bombay Pav Bhaji Masala:
• Heat a pan on low setting and add cumin seeds (Jeera), coriander (Dhaniya) seeds, fennel (Saunf) seeds, green cardamom (Elaichi) and roast till it is aromatic and changes colour slightly. Be careful not to burn. Remove and keep aside.
• Then add Indian bay leaves (Tej Patta), cloves (Laung), black peppers (Kali Mirch), black cardamom (Badi Elaichi), star anise (Chakra Phool), cinnamon (Dalchini), and roast till aromatic. Be careful not to burn. Remove and keep aside.
• Then slightly roast dried red chillies. Be careful not to burn. Remove and keep aside.
• Let everything cool down completely.
• Add cooled spices to grinding jar along with dry ginger powder (Sonth), salt and dry mango powder (Amchur).
• Grind to a fine powder.
• Pav Bhaji Masala is ready. Store in an air-tight container.
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