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5 min
19/01/2026
The secret to great pav bhaji masala lies not in recreating the same recipe as street vendors do, but understanding how their special combination of spices makes the dish work and creating your own clean, fresh version at home, giving you better control over flavour, aroma, and finish.
Pav bhaji made in the style of local street vendors has something magical about it that makes it feel almost impossible to recreate at home. Most of that magic comes from the spices, or masala, rather than the actual vegetables or butter used in the recipe. Street vendors rely heavily on the high heat they use to prepare their food - the repetition of cooking similar dishes and slightly overcooking their spice blend to create concentrated flavours - creating an intensity that most home cooks don’t achieve with their own cooking. When prepared correctly, pav bhaji masala does not require any trade secrets to make; all it takes is to be mindful of how to layer your spices correctly, have patience, and have a deep understanding of how spices act when used in layers.
The spices in pav bhaji masala will not melt into the vegetables but will instead stay on top of the mashed vegetables. Unlike garam masala, which has a warm, rounded flavour, pav bhaji masala’s flavour profile is sharper, tangier, and slightly smokier, allowing it to cut through the butter and starch present in the dish. Pav bhaji masala uses spices that bloom very quickly but hold their flavour longer, which means even a small pinch of spice can result in a big change in the overall flavour of the dish. This idea of a sharp flavour is what gives pav bhaji the punch it has and the heat that so many street vendors offer.
Pav bhaji masala that is ideal balances the 3 heats: chilli heat (from dried red chiles), warmth (from coriander and cumin) and aroma (from clove and cinnamon). Chillies provide heat and colour, while spices give a roasted flavour to the masala. The aromatic spices must remain subtle. Street vendors often use repetition to soften the harshness of their masala, whereas one must proportion the spices correctly when making pav bhaji at home to achieve the desired level of softness.
Dry roasting pav bhaji masala is most important; under-roasting will release the oils and sweetness in the spices, but will diminish the vividness of the spices and leave them with a dusty flavour. When roasting spices, it's important to remember that they all behave differently. Some spices will only need to be warmed and not darkened at all, while others will need to be roasted until they become visibly dark in colour. By roasting each spice separately, the spices remain clear, while also preventing any potential bitterness from arising.
Commercial preparations of pav bhaji masala tend to be ground extremely fine, the flavours of the spices are released immediately into the dish and do not remain for the final portion of the pav. The coarseness of the spice blend allows for gradual swelling of the flavours in the bhaji as it cooks and provides a substantial sensation in one's mouth. The texture of the spices contributes to the overall flavour of pav bhaji just as much, if not more, than the flavours alone.
Resting freshly ground pav bhaji masala helps it to develop more depth of flavour. Some of the volatile compounds that create the fresh aroma have a chance to settle; sharp edge flavours become mellower. This is similar to the way that bhaji tastes better after it has had a little time to sit. Because of the repetitive heating that happens on a street cart, the pav bhaji masala continues to evolve as it is used over and over again in the same cooking process at the cart. Even a single 24-hour period makes a big difference in flavour development.
The worst enemy of spice blends is the combination of light, air, and moisture—not time. Storing pav bhaji masala in a small, airtight container and protected from heat preserves the vibrant colour of the dried chillies and the aromatic nature of the spices. Avoid putting in the refrigerator; cooler, darker shelf space is much more conducive for storage. Proper storage gives homemade masalas an edge in freshness when compared to the same products from street carts.
