Pav bhaji masala

You use पाव भाजी मसाला as a finely ground dry powder. It is the defining seasoning for pav bhaji, the famous Mumbai street food of spiced mashed vegetables served with buttered dinner rolls.

In Maharashtra, the Marathi name is the same: pav bhaji masala. It’s highly aromatic due to roasted cumin and coriander seeds, with notes like star anise and fennel that open up as the pan heats.

Expect a warm undertone from cloves, cassia and black cardamom, plus a pungent kick from black peppercorns, dried red chilies and cloves. Dried mango powder adds a clear sour tang, while roasted cumin, coriander seeds, star anise and fennel make it highly aromatic. Bloomed in butter with mashed vegetables, it gives a rich, savory depth and a robust, zesty, warming taste that balances the sweetness of boiled vegetables and rich butter.

For pav bhaji, stir the masala into sautéed onions and tomatoes during cooking so it melds into the mashed vegetables. Finish with a small sprinkle over the hot bhaji, or let a little masala hit melted butter while toasting pav. Street-style, you can add it to an extra butter or oil tadka and pour that over the simmering base.

Use it for Mumbai-style tawa pulao, the street food rice dish stir-fried on a flat griddle with vegetables. It also seasons masala pav, where bread rolls are slathered with a spiced, buttery tomato gravy.