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Pao bhaji (Mumbai street food)

Published: 6 May 25
Updated: 9 May 25

Pao bhaji (or Pav bhaji) is an iconic Mumbai street food dish of spicy vegetable curry served with soft, buttered buns. Mehak Kansal of London’s Bindas Eatery shows you how to recreate pao bhaji at home…

Quick and delicious: The fragrant curry is packed with vegetables and spices, but only needs 10 minutes prep. Perfect when you want a healthy vegetarian dinner.
Street food icon: “Mumbai’s most beloved and classic street food, consisting of a thick, spicy vegetable curry served with pao – a soft bread roll spread with butter,” says Mehak. Keep the dish vegan by using plant-based spread, if you want.
Make ahead: You can make the vegetable curry up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge – just reheat before toasting the rolls and serving.

Recipe taken from Bindas: Comfort Food With An Indian Soul by Mehak Kansal# (Murdoch Books £23) and tested by delicious.

Browse more filling vegan curry recipes.

Easy
May 2025

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4-6
Prep time 10 min. Cook time 35 min

Quick and delicious: The fragrant curry is packed with vegetables and spices, but only needs 10 minutes prep. Perfect when you want a healthy vegetarian dinner.
Street food icon: “Mumbai’s most beloved and classic street food, consisting of a thick, spicy vegetable curry served with pao – a soft bread roll spread with butter,” says Mehak. Keep the dish vegan by using plant-based spread, if you want.
Make ahead: You can make the vegetable curry up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge – just reheat before toasting the rolls and serving.

Recipe taken from Bindas: Comfort Food With An Indian Soul by Mehak Kansal# (Murdoch Books £23) and tested by delicious.

Browse more filling vegan curry recipes.

Nutrition: Per serving (for 6)

Calories: 458kcals
Fat: 14g (7.3g saturated)
Protein: 11g
Carbohydrates: 68g (11g sugars)
Fibre: 8.5g
Salt: 0.9g

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Ingredients

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
65g peas, defrosted if frozen
4 tbsp ghee or olive oil (if vegan)
6-8 fresh curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 onions, chopped
1 tbsp ginger paste
1½ tbsp garlic paste
1-3 green bird’s eye chillies, chopped (depending on how hot you like it)
3 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
15g coriander, chopped, plus extra to serve
8-12 white bread rolls (2 per person)
Salted butter to spread
Lemon wedges to serve

Method

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for 15-20 minutes until soft, adding the peas for the final 2 minutes. Drain, then set aside to cool. Once cool, mash well using a fork.
When the veg has about 10 minutes left, melt the ghee in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the curry leaves and cumin seeds and cook for 20 seconds until fragrant, then add the onions. Stir and cook for about 8 minutes until softened and browned.
Stir in the ginger, garlic and chillies, season with a pinch of salt, then add the mashed veg, tomato purée, ground spices and coriander, mixing well. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes. If you prefer the texture to be a little wetter, add a splash of water to the pan and season again with salt.

Cut the rolls in half and spread with butter. Lightly sear in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for just 10-20 seconds until the bread is lightly browned. Divide the bhaji between bowls, then serve with the lightly toasted rolls and lemon wedges for squeezing. Scatter over some coriander and enjoy.