Authentic Mumbai Pav Bhaji recipe! Flavorful mashed vegetable curry, called Bhaji, served with buttery dinner rolls called Pav, ready in 30 minutes in your Instant Pot or stove.
Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting Sauté. When the inner pot is hot, add butter and oil. When the butter melts, add onions and bell pepper, and saute for 2 minutes. garlic, and ginger, and cook for 2 minutes. Add minced ginger and garlic and saute for another minute.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, spices and ¼ cup water. Stir until everything is combined.
Turn off Sauté. Add vegetables and toss until coated in the spice mix. Add water.
Close the lid, vent set to sealing mode. Select Manual or Pressure Cook and cook for 8 minutes on high pressure. When the cooking is complete, follow the quick release method as per your cooker instructions to release the pressure. Open the lid after the pin drops.
Using a potato masher, mash the vegetables until they reach your preferred consistency of a thick curry. Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning.
To toast the pav, heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Generously spread butter on both sides of the pav and toast them, butter side down. Serve the Bhaji warm, topped with a dollop of butter, chopped onion, and cilantro, with butter-toasted pav (dinner rolls).
Optional Step
Optionally, grate paneer and stir it in the curry to add some protein.
Vegetables: You can customize the assortment of vegetables in this curry. Be sure to use a total of 7 to 8 cups for this quantity.
Pav Bhaji Masala: I prefer Everest or MDH brand, it tastes as good as the homemade version. It is easily available in Indian grocery stores or online. For the homemade recipe, refer to the recipe in the content above.
Bhaji Consistency: The consistency of Bhaji can be customized to personal preference. My family likes the curry to have more texture, so I mash it using a potato masher. That leaves some chunks in there. For a more mashed-potato-like consistency, you can use your immersion blender. Simply blend the curry a few times, for 2 to 3 seconds each time, until you reach your desired consistency.
Pav: Any soft dinner rolls or burger buns that aren't sweet will work for this recipe.
Low Carb Variation: I skip the potatoes in this recipe and double up the cauliflower. As for pav, I toast my favorite keto bread from Costco or Whole Foods.
Add protein: To add a protein boost to this recipe without altering flavors, stir in 2 oz. of grated or chopped paneer (¼-inch pieces) after pressure cooking and simmer for a few minutes.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.