Pav bhaji (Marathi : पाव भाजी) is a fast food dish from India consisting of a thick vegetable curry (bhaji) served with a soft bread roll (pav). Its origins are in the state of Maharashtra.[1]

Pav Bhaji

Alternative names	Bhaji-pav
Course	Meal
Place of origin	India
Region or state	Maharashtra
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	Bread, mixed vegetables
Food energy (per serving)	400 calories kcal
Cookbook: Pav Bhaji   Media: Pav Bhaji

History

The dish originated as a fast lunchtime dish for textile mill workers in Mumbai.[2][3] Pav bhaji was later served at restaurants throughout the city.[3][4] Pav bhaji is now offered at outlets from simple hand carts to formal restaurants in India and abroad.[5][6]

Preparation

• 
  Pav bhaji being prepared on an iron tava
• 
  A pav bhaji stand at Chandni Chowk, Delhi

Pav bhaji is a spiced mixture of mashed vegetables in a thick gravy served with bread. Vegetables in the curry may commonly include potatoes, onions, carrots, chillies, peas, bell peppers and tomatoes. Street sellers usually cook the curry on a flat griddle (tava) and serve the dish hot. A soft white bread roll is the usual accompaniment to the curry, but this does not preclude the use of other bread varieties such as chapati, roti or brown bread.

Variants

Variations on pav bhaji include:

• Cheese pav bhaji, with cheese on top of the bhaji
• Fried pav bhaji, with the pav tossed in the bhaji
• Paneer pav bhaji, with paneer cheese in the bhaji
• Mushroom pav bhaji, with mushrooms in the bhaji
• Khada pav bhaji, with vegetable chunks in the bhaji
• Jain pav bhaji, without onions and garlic[7] and with plantains instead of potatoes[8]
• Kolhapuri pav bhaji, using a spice mix common in Kolhapur

References