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Pav bhaji masala
Pav bhaji spice blend
पाव भाजी मसाला: homemade Mumbai pav bhaji spice blend of roasted whole spices, Kashmiri chilli, amchur and black salt (about 100 g jar)
The bhaji at a Juhu Beach or Girgaum Chowpatty stall gets its unmistakable taste from a ready-made masala, but a home-roasted blend smells far brighter and lets you choose the heat. Whole coriander, cumin, fennel, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and star anise are roasted, cooled and ground with Kashmiri chilli for colour, amchur (dry mango powder) for tang, kala namak (black salt) for that eggy, savoury depth, and dry ginger. A good pav bhaji masala is red, sour-salty and aromatic rather than very hot. It is also the quick way to give tawa pulao, masala toast and Bombay sandwiches their street flavour. Common mistake: stirring the masala into a dry, very hot pan; the amchur and chilli powder scorch in seconds. Chef's tip: add the masala once the tomatoes have broken down into the butter, and keep a spoonful back to sprinkle over the bhaji in the last minute for a fresh hit of aroma.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
Whole spices
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 8 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick5 cm
- 8 dried Kashmiri chilliesstalks and seeds removed
Powders
- 2 tbsp dry mango powder (amchur)
- 1 tsp black salt (kala namak)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 3 tbsp coriander seeds in a heavy pan over a low heat for 3 minutes until fragrant and a shade darker. Tip onto a plate.
3 minStep 2: Roast 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 8 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 black cardamom pods, 3 green cardamom pods, 1 star anise and 2 Indian bay leaves (tamalpatra) together for 2–3 minutes, until the cumin crackles and the cloves swell.
3 minStep 3: Roast 8 dried Kashmiri chillies for 1 minute until crisp and they snap; don't let them darken.
1 minStep 4: Leave everything to cool completely, then grind to a fine powder. Sift it and regrind any coarse bits.
15 minStep 5: Mix in 2 tbsp dry mango powder (amchur), 1 tsp black salt (kala namak), 1 tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp dry ginger powder (sonth). Store in a clean, dry, airtight jar for up to 3 months. Use 1½ tbsp for pav bhaji for 4.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 15 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pav bhaji masala take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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