Pav Bhaji Recipe (in an Instant Pot) – A Classic Indian Street Food

Pav Bhaji, a classic street food found in many cities throughout India, is also one of our family favorites here in the US. During our recent visit to India, we would find ourselves walking down the streets shopping or sightseeing, suddenly overtaken by the aroma of masala infusing with vegetables on a hot tava, along with the occasional whiff of golden toasted buttered bread. The sights and smells enticed our senses, making our heads turn and stomachs growl at every street corner.Pav Bhaji consists of “bhaji” (a mixture of vegetables including potatoes, eggplant and/or zucchini, peas, onions, etc.) seasoned with flavorful Indian spices, served with “pav” (toasted bread). It is one of the most healthy Indian dishes, packed with nutrition from the hodgepodge of vegetables that make up the dish. Although there are a few methods to making Pav Bhaji, this recipe will describe the Instant Pot method. Other ways of cooking Pav Bhaji include the use of a pressure cooker and steaming the veggies without the use of a pressure cooking device. See notes at the bottom of the recipe for distinctions.

Ingredients:

Vegetables:
1 head cauliflower (rinsed and broken into large florets)
1 large zucchini (coarsely chopped)4 medium potatoes (peeled and coarsely chopped)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
Gravy:1 tbspn avocado oil
2 whole bay leaves
2 whole dried red chili peppers
pinch hing
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 large roma tomato (finely chopped)
2 cups crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 tspn ginger (minced)
salt (to taste)
2 tspn paprika
1-2 tspn laal marchu (red chili powder) (optional to add heat)
2 tspn pav bhaji masalo
1/4 tspn garam masala (optional to add heat)

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