Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe – Quick and Easy pressure cooked version of Mumabi Pao Bhaji.This Spicy Indian vegetable mash usually served with soft dinner rolls called Pavs and oodles of butter.
My one guilty pleasure! Every so often, in the middle of my calorie counting(yes I confess) I whip this up.It’s got everything I love in the world- potatoes, butter & bread!And as if to compensate..A lot of vegetables.
And I always make it at home especially because if I am indulging then I want the real stuff! Full bodied, high on flavour and low on that weird synthetic red chilli which most restaurants put in pav bhaji outside.Which totally ruins the taste and the pleasure of eating pav bhaji.
Secret to my Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
This pav bhaji recipe is PERFECT- it has the right hue of red– without using artificial color or insane amount of Kashmiri chilli powder and it has the just right balance of spices.
Here are my top 3 SECRETS of making the perfect pav bhaji– 1. Beetroot 2. A few tablespoons of tomato puree. 3. Lots of tomatoes.
Pav bhaji has to be served piping hot, with a dollop of butter, fresh onions, wedge of lime, lot’s of coriander and butter drenched pavs or dinner rolls.
Spices used in Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
About the spices though- you could make a blend of this on your own at home or you could get a box from any indian store or order it online.It goes a long way.I usually keep it in the freezer in the box that it came in so that I forget what it is.
How to make Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
Step 1:In the instant pot, Start the saute mode.Add butter.Once that melts, saute onions, garlic & green capsicum
Step 2:Add tomatoes and cook
Step 3:Add rest of the vegetables – potatoes, cauliflower, peas & beetroot along with salt and add 1 cup of water.Cancel the SAUTE setting .Close the lid and select PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL on HIGH for 6 minutes.(4,5)
Step 4:Open the Lid, Add the Pav Bhaji Spice Mix,Coriander Powder and tomato Puree.
Step 4: Using a potato masher or a large spoon or a hand grinder, grind the vegetables into a rough mash.Add a knob of butter and mix(7,8)
Step 6: Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with chopped onions, coriander leaves ,a wedge of lime and toasted pavs.
Expert Tips on Pav Bhaji
- You can use a potato masher or a handheld grinder to get the consistency you want.I prefer the masher.
- Left overs- Eat the rest of pav bhaji- as a sandwich filling or make your version of baked eggs in pav bhaji.()Make pav bhaji dosa!
- Healthier version– Reduce the amount of potato and substitute with vegetables like bottle guard, zuchinni, eggplant, cauliflower and carrots.
- Also add the butter only on top of the bhaji while serving.That way you get the visual pleasure of seeing melting butter in your food and non of those hidden calories.Trust me, you dont need to add extra butter in the bhaji.
Here are some more Indian Instant Pot recipes for you!
Instant Pot Rajma
Instant Pot Channa Masala
Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1/2 Cup Onion Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Green Capsicum Chopped
- 1 Cup Tomato roughly chopped
- 2 Cup Potato roughly chopped
- 1/2 Cup Cauliflower roughly chopped
- 1/4 Cup Peas
- 1/2 Cup Carrot roughly chopped
- 1/4 Cup Tomato Puree
- 2 tbsp Beetroot-Grated (Optional)
- 1 Cup Water
- 1/2 Lime juiced
Spices
- 1 tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder or Paprika
Instructions
- Switch on the SAUTE mode.Add butter and let it melt.
- Once it melts, Add onions and cook for 1 minute.Add capsicum and cook till soft.
- Add chopped Tomato and cook till mushy.
- To this, add all the vegetables- potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, peas and grated beetroot(if using).
- Add 1 Cup of water and salt.
- PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL on HIGH for 6 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid,Add the Spices- Coriander powder,Pav Bhaji Masala and Kashmiri Red Chilli
- Using a potato Masher Mash everything.
- Add tomato Puree and mix it all up.Check the seasoning and add lime as per taste.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and a dollop of butter. Serve hot, with onions and toasted pavs.
Video
Nutrition
I use a 6 qts instant pot and I love it! If you are in India and are looking to understand how I use it here, you should read my post on instant pot in India.
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Do comment if you have a question