Mumbai Street-Style Pav Bhaji

Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, peas, and green bell pepper together in salted water until everything is fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Mash everything together roughly with a potato masher. It should be chunky, not perfectly smooth.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and the oil in a wide, flat pan or tava (griddle) over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 6-7 minutes until soft and golden brown.

Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes, mashing them with the back of the spoon as they soften, until they completely break down into a pulp.

Add the pav bhaji masala, red chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Cook the spices with the tomato-onion base for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the mashed vegetable mixture to the pan. Mix thoroughly, adding reserved cooking water as needed to reach a thick, spreadable consistency. Mash everything vigorously on the tava, pressing and mixing repeatedly. This aggressive mashing is how you get the authentic street-style texture.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir it in until the bhaji glistens. Let it cook for 5 more minutes on medium heat, pressing and stirring, until the flavors meld and the butter is fully absorbed.

For the pav: Slice each roll in half horizontally. Heat a generous amount of butter on a flat pan and toast the pav cut-side down until golden brown and slightly crispy on the surface but still soft inside.

Serve the bhaji in a wide bowl, topped with a knob of butter, chopped cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lemon. Arrange the toasted pav alongside with raw onion rings and extra lemon wedges.