Mumbai Cheese Pav Bhaji Recipe, How to make Cheese Pav Bhaji Recipe

Mumbai Cheese Pav Bhaji Recipe with step by step photos. Glad to share the original recipe of Cheese Pav bhaji from Mumbai-Juhu-Beach with loads of cheese! Mumbai Pav bhaji has an interesting history to it. During the era of textile mills, workers had very less time to eat also the lighter meals were preferred to heavy meals. As they had to return back to the physical work also heavy meals made them feel sleepy and lethargic. So a vendor created a lighter dish where he replaced pav (pao) against roti and rice was replaced with bhaji. Now this recipe is eaten all over Mumbai right from local street vendors to posh five-star hotels 🙂 🙂 known as pav bhaji. Click Wikipedia for more information on pavbhaji

I have shared earlier Mumbai Pav bhaji recipe which most of the pav bhaji street stalls and vendors make….. However, I am happy to share the pav bhaji recipe from Juhu beach where most of the Mumbaikars go to eat. There is something unique about Juhu beach stalls the aroma of pav bhaji would tempt you to eat.

I remember our mom taking us out every weekend at Juhu beach in childhood. I and my sister used to binge on pav bhaji, panipuris, chats, golas, icecream and coconut water. I used to enjoy the sight of a tall man mashing veggies on a huge, thick tawa (frying pan) on high heat, stirring, adding dollops of butter, spices and then frying pavs. I wanted to shoot this video while this man was making it but couldn’t click video as it was too breezy and sunny. So just captured the recipe and ingredients from them that’s it. But will soon come up with a live video for pav bhaji-Mumbai style.

The recipe is exactly how they make in Juhu stalls. But they make on big sized iron pans which won’t fit on our gas stove. So have modified the recipe so we all can make them home easily. One of my reader Milind Borkar had requested me this recipe log time back. So Milind Borkar this recipe is for you 😉

There are various kinds of pav bhaji made in Mumbai. Some are cheese pavbhaji, jain pavbhaji, kada pavbhaji and paneer pavbhaji. Personally, I love cheese one and kada pavbhaji. What’s your favorite???

Learn how to make Mumbai Cheese Pav Bhaji Recipe step by step:

1. Take a heavy bottomed pan place on high heat. Add little butter once the pan is hot add chopped capsicum to it.

2. Keep stirring once capsicum is softened add a little water to it. Now mash them with the help of a masher.

3. Add chopped tomatoes, french beans if using and boiled carrots if using. Keep stirring and allow them to cook for 2 mins. I have used raw carrots as later have grounded into a processor and cooked. I don’t have a pic for this step.

4. Now add rest of veggies like mashed potatoes, cauliflower florets if using, 1 t/s ginger-garlic paste, green peas.

5. Saute for 2 mins now mash all of them with the help of a masher. Alternatively, you could grind them into a processor until they are smooth.

6. Cook the mashed mixture for 2 to 3 min add a cup of water to it. Also, add a tbsp of butter and cook until oil separates from the bhaji.

7. Take a different pan add 1 tbsp butter add chopped onion, pav bhaji masala, kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, kasuri methi, a pinch of asafoetida (hing) and salt.

8. Saute for 2 to 3 mins until onions soften.

9. Add a little water if the onions are getting too dry. Mash them with the masher. Transfer this mixture to the cooking bhaji.

10. Now mix all nicely. Add black salt for seasoning. Check the consistency add water if required and alter any spices if required. Cook until bhaji bubbles switch off the gas and add some grated cheese. Mix all nicely.

11. For Masala Pav: Take little butter saute onions, turmeric, chili powder, chopped coriander leaves and salt. Fry them from both sides until slightly brown.

Serve cheese pav bhaji with a dollop of butter, coriander leaves,lemon wedges and loads of grated cheese along with masala pav’s.

If you love Mumbai street food then check ragda patties, pani poori recipe, sev puri, dahi puri, pav bhaji, chilli paneer, moong dal bhajiya, kanda bhajji, vada pav, cold coffee, cutting chai and dosa.

Mumbai Cheese Pav Bhaji recipe card below: