Masala Pav is popular street food from Mumbai! Toasted buns are topped with a spicy masala, these are best enjoyed with chai!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Breads, Snack
  • Cuisine: Indian Street Food

Ingredients

for the masala

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium red onion (chopped)
  • 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
  • 1/2 inch ginger
  • 3-4 garlic
  • 1 green chili
  • 2 teaspoons pav bhaji masala (adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (also known as dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 cup water

for the buns

  • 4-5 buns/pav
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • kasuri methi (to sprinkle)

to serve

  • finely chopped onions
  • lemon slices

Method

  1. Melt butter in a pan on medium heat. Once the butter melts, add cumin seeds and let it crackle.
  2. Crush the ginger, garlic and green chili together using a mortar and pestle and add to the pan.
  3. Saute for few seconds or till the crushed ginger-garlic paste starts to change its color.
  4. Add chopped onions and mix. Cook till onions become translucent and then add chopped tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Now add pav bhaji masala, salt and kashmiri red chili powder and mix. Cook the spices for a minute.
  6. Add chopped green and red pepper and cook for another minute. Also add crushed kasuri methi.
  7. Now add 1/2 cup water, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for around 8-10 minutes or till water dries up.
  8. The masala shouldn't be dry but it shouldn't be too watery either. So cook till the masala reaches that consistency. Then add in lemon juice.
  9. And also add chopped cilantro and mix. The masala is now done. Add in chopped cilantro.
  10. Shift the masala to one side of the pan. Melt some butter on the other side of the pan.
  11. Sprinkle crushed kasuri methi on top of melted butter.
  12. Place buns on top of the butter. Toast the buns till golden brown from both sides.
  13. Place the masala on top of the toasted buns. Serve masala pav with some extra onion on top!

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.