When you step out of Mumbai, pav breads taste more like buns. They are sweeter and denser and even more caramelized. Of course, they are great and delicious by themselves. But, they do not fall into the category of 'Pav bread' to be enjoyed as spicy Pav Bhaji or Wada Pav.
So what makes Mumbai's Pav so special?? First let's talk about physical characteristics. They are lightly browned, smaller, fluffier, softer, and when compressed, easily bounce back without breaking. As you bite into, they are soft and not sweet. With all of these measures of grading a perfect pav, I had found an amazing recipe that I used 8 years back in India. When we moved to the US, we tried so many varieties and kinds of dinner rolls and buns, but none of them would go well with Indian Bhaji. I had to reinvent the wheel! There are tons of Pav making recipes online. Maybe they are all great. But, the texture and taste is not the one found in the Pav of Mumbai. I partially remember the recipe I used in India. So with many trial and errors, I finally have one that I can truely call Pav.
Are we (Snehanshu and me) obsessed with it? Maybe yes! You can call it obsession or just being particular about the taste of the overall dish (Pav Bhaji). We have sneaked Pav Bread from Mumbai into the US borders to enjoy our Pav Bhaji here :) But, that was just once!! If you too are picky like us, do give this recipe a try. I am sure, you will remember Juhu Beach Pav Bhaji or Sardar's Pav Bhaji smeared with butter.
Ingredients
1+1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. sugar
1 pack yeast
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 cups all purpose flour/maida
Extra flour for kneading the dough
1 tsp. Salt
Slightly more butter and flour for greasing and dusting the pan.
1 pack yeast
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 cups all purpose flour/maida
Extra flour for kneading the dough
1 tsp. Salt
Slightly more butter and flour for greasing and dusting the pan.
- Start with 1 1/4 cup warm water (100F) in a large bowl. Add 1 packet
Yeast
, (2 1/4 tsp.) and 2 tbsp. sugar. Mix and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.
- Add 3 tbsp. melted unsalted butter, 1 tsp. salt and 3 cups all-purpose flour.
- Mix together to make a sticky dough.
- Lightly dust your clean counter. Empty the dough and knead it for 8-10 minutes. This is the most important stage to develop gluten, and make the dough elastic. It is okay to use around 1/4 cup flour while kneading (if needed).
- Keep the dough in a greased large bowl. Cover and let it rest for an hour.
- Use a tray or baking box 9"X13" to arrange and bake pav breads. Grease and dust it with flour.
- After an hour the dough should have doubled in size. Knead the dough again for 8-10 minutes. Divide into 12-15 parts, and arrange them in a tray leaving 1 1/2 inch space in between.
- Cover and let the dough proof for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- (It is okay to keep it a little longer too. Maximum 1 1/2 hour.)
- Proofing is the process just before baking. The dough is covered and is allowed to rest to double in size.
- Bake in a 450F preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or till they get lightly browned.
- When you first remove the pav from the oven they might feel hard on the top. Do not worry. They will be super soft as they cool down.
- Remove and let them rest on a cooling rack.
- Let the pav bread completely cool on the rack.
- Serve with Pav Bhaji, Wada Pav, Misal Pav.
Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:
Start with 1 1/4 cup warm water (100F) in a large bowl. Add 1 packet
Yeast,
(2 1/4 tsp.) and 2 tbsp. sugar. Mix and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.
,
(2 1/4 tsp.) and 2 tbsp. sugar. Mix and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.
Add 3 tbsp. melted unsalted butter, 1 tsp. salt and 3 cups all-purpose flour.
Mix together to make a sticky dough.
(You could also use whole wheat flour as healthier option to all purpose flour. But, due to lack of gluten the texture of whole wheat pav would be surely different. Just use 2 tbsp. more water and knead the dough more to develop gluten.)
(You could also use whole wheat flour as healthier option to all purpose flour. But, due to lack of gluten the texture of whole wheat pav would be surely different. Just use 2 tbsp. more water and knead the dough more to develop gluten.)
Lightly dust your clean counter. Empty the dough and knead it for 8-10 minutes. This is the most important stage to develop gluten, and make the dough elastic.
It is okay to use around 1/4 cup flour while kneading (if need be)
It is okay to use around 1/4 cup flour while kneading (if need be)
Keep the dough in a greased large bowl. Cover and let it rest for an hour.
Use a tray or baking box 9"X13" to arrange and bake pav breads. Grease and dust it lightly.
After an hour the dough should have doubled in size. Knead the dough again for 8-10 minutes. Divide into 12-15 parts, and arrange them in a tray leaving 1 1/2 inch space in between.
Cover and let the dough proof for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
(It is okay to keep it a little longer too. Maximum 1 1/2 hour.)
Proofing is the process just before baking. The dough is covered and is allowed to rest to double in size.
(It is okay to keep it a little longer too. Maximum 1 1/2 hour.)
Proofing is the process just before baking. The dough is covered and is allowed to rest to double in size.
Beautiful!!
The dough was allowed to rise and double in size.
The dough was allowed to rise and double in size.
You can see dark colored air pockets inside :)
Bake in a 450F preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or till they get lightly browned.
When you first remove the pav from the oven they might feel hard on the top. Do not worry. They will be super soft as they cool down.
Remove and let them rest on a cooling rack. They were so delicate, that I was scared to handle them :)
Let the pav bread completely cool on the rack.
You need not apply any butter on top. Think about it; Pav is such a staple, affordable, poor man's daily food. Bakeries are not going to smother it with butter.
Look at the beautiful mesh and air pockets!!
Lightly colored underside!!
Love the flavor of warm bread with butter.
Reminds me of my childhood. Papa used to buy fresh pav from the bakery close by. Even before mummy would make bhaji (mix veggies), we would enjoy warm pav bread as is!! :)
With freshly baked pav bread, made delicious, spicy bhaji.
Here are butter roasted Pav and some Masala Pav.
Updated on 8/24/2015
Thank you so much for the overwhelming response and loving my recipe a lot. Thank you so much for sharing reviews and pictures on my Facebook page and by personal messages.
I am also sharing one of my Facebook posts from few days ago. Some of you might have seen this already. "I have come across so many pav recipes. Some people add milk powder
to it, and some add milk to it. Some wash it with milk or egg, and some
with butter. None of those recipes are incorrect, but I would not label
those as Mumbai Pav for Pav Bhaji or Wada Pav. My knowledge and sense of
Mumbai food said that Mumbai Pav would just have basic simple
ingredients to make those pav buns affordable to regular people and
daily commuters. And, after lot of experimentation, I came up with my Mumbai pav recipe that so many people have loved and enjoyed...Here is the link http://shitals-kitchen.blogspot.com/2014/03/pav-bread.html
Few days back, I could validate my pav recipe when I stumbled upon a
documentary of pav being made in a bakery. I could not understand every
bit of the language spoken in the video. But, I could deduct the basic
ingredients used to make the staple food for more than thousands of
people in Mumbai; Yeast, sugar, salt, flour, water, and fat".
I am also updating this blog post by answering FAQs.
1. Can I use my KitchenAid mixer to make pav?
Ans. Yes, you can use KitchnAid mixer with a dough making hook to make the dough as well as knead the dough. You can use a food processor too with dough making blade. If using a mixer or a food processor, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes on medium setting. Below are the videos of mixing the dough and kneading the dough in my kitchenaid mixer.
2. What type of yeast do you use?
Ans. I mostly use Rapid rise or Instant dry yeast.
3. Could I use whole wheat flour instead of maida?
Ans. Maida/ all purpose flour has more gluten compared to wheat flour. So pav/bread made with maida are softer and fluffier compared to whole wheat. You can use whole wheat and maida combined for good results rather than only whole wheat. Also, 2 tbsp. gluten powder (available in grocery store) can be used with whole wheat flour to make whole wheat pavs.
4. Do I have to cover the dough with moist napkin.
Ans. No, you can also cover with a plastic lid.
5. What is the size of your baking tray?
Ans. I use 9"x13" tray/pan with a raised lid to prevent pav from touching the top. Here is the picture.
6. Could I bake pav in the microwave?
Ans. If your microwave has a convection setting you can bake in it just like regular oven. Preheat oven to 450F or 232 degree C temperature and then bake in it.
7. Could I use aluminum foil tray to bake instead of metal tray?
Ans. Yes you can. Grease the tray well.
8. Could I use oven safe glass pan to bake pav.
Ans. Yes, you can use oven safe glass pan but you need to grease it well.
9. How do I make the top of the pav smooth.
Ans. You need to get rid of all the cracks and knead each dough ball well in your palms to obtain a smooth top. Here is the video to make smooth pav so that they bake evenly.
10. I followed the exact recipe but my dough did not rise. What did I do wrong?
Ans. Remember the most important ingredient to make pav is the little microorganism Yeast which feeds on sugar to produces carbondioxide that makes the dough rise. Yeast also requires warmth. Very hot water will kill yeast and cold water will not activate yeast. Water temperature should be warm. Also, if the climatic condition of the place you are in is cold, place the dough in slightly warm oven to proof.
11. Do I have to use milk powder or milk to make the pav soft?
Ans. You need not add any milk or milk powder. Pav is a poor mans food something that can be affordable. The basic ingredients like water, yeast, sugar, flour, and fat should do the needful.
12. What if I do not have unsalted butter?
Ans. Use salted butter or ghee or olive oil or dalda/ vegetable shortening.
13. Why do I have to knead the dough?
Ans. Kneading develops gluten and makes the dough soft and elastic. When yeast releases carbon dioxide gas, the elasticity in the dough helps the dough to rise and traps bubbles.
14. I followed the baking process but my pav did not get a good brwon color on top. Why did that happen?
Ans. Baking depends on the type of oven too. Try to understand your oven and keep the tray in the middle rack. Preheating the oven is a very important step too. If the pav is perfectly baked but did not brown, broil for 2-3 minutes of till the top browns.
15. How do I store pav?
Ans. Store in a zip lock bag or airtight box to prevent pavs from drying. Pavs can be store on the kitchen counter for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for a week or more.
16. My dough was very sticky and I was unable to make smooth balls. What should I have done?
Ans. You could use dry flour while kneading the dough or while making balls.
17. Do I have to give pav milk or egg wash before baking?
Ans. You can but you do not have to. Puff pastry and bun recipes do need it but not mandatory for pav.
Enjoy freshly baked homemade pavs!
oye seriously tell me.. this is the picture of of breads you took from India right..???
ReplyDeleteits impossible to bake like this at home... so soft n tasty ...
haha!! you really think so?? :)
DeleteI tried Shital , it came simply awesome !!! Thanks a lot I have posted in epicurean delight was not able to tag you .. But shared your recepie .
DeleteThanks Sheily...you made me so happy! I am glad it worked for you. I am not on Epicurean delight. Do send me the link of your post, would love to see your Pav picture.
DeleteThanks again! :)
Shital
My dough got too sticky to form balls. . What may have I done wrong?
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that Pooja! :( Dough is going to be sticky at first...kneading the dough well will eventually make it less sticky. Sometimes it depends on the type of flour. You could add a bit more of the flour or grease your hands with oil or butter to make balls.
DeleteHope you are able to make Pav again!
Shital
Hi Shital,
ReplyDeleteMy dough was going well at first. After initially mixing it, the dough was less sticky. But after leaving it for an hour, the dough got more sticky, and kneading it didn't make it less sticky. Also the dough didn't rise at all and we just baked it anyways, it was thick lump and it was so salty to taste.
Why didn't my dough rise? Do you keep the dough to rise in an oven that's a little warm? What's the measure of salt? 3 tbsp? Once the dough rises, will the salt taste right?
Oh, so sorry about that!! I know you might be feeling sad. To answer your questions:
Delete1. You could grease your hands with some oil to knead the dough or use some dry flour. That is okay. pav dough has to be soft so that the gluten develops and the dough gets sticky and can rise well with air pockets.
2. I do not keep the dough in the warm over. You could surely do that depending on the climate and room temperature.
3. If the dough does not rise, the bread will be lumpy mass, not bread. What makes it bread is the carbon dioxide pockets that are produced when yeast feeds on sugar.
4. Salt is to taste, 1 prefer is 1 tsp.( as mentioned in my other bread recipes). 3 tbsp. is the amount of unsalted butter in my recipe. Maybe you misread the statement.
5. Check the expiration date on yeast packet. Expired yeast will not rise.
6. Another reason for yeast not producing carbon dioxide bubbles is the amount of salt. If you added 3 tbsp. of salt, it could have killed your yeast. remember it is living and microorganisms do not like salt.
I hope I have tried to make the recipe clearer for you. I will specify the amount of salt as 1 tsp. and edit my post tomorrow. One failure should not dishearten you. By making mistakes you know what things to keep in mind the next time. You will never go wrong again. Please feel free to write to me or reply to this comment if you have any question.
Shital
Thanks Shital for taking the time to reply back to me! I think it will be good to specify the salt as 1 tsp in your recipe. Otherwise people like me will you 3 tbsp, which probably killed the yeast! Couple more questions, in the first step where you mix the yeast with water and sugar, do you wait till the mixture foams? Your recipe says 5 mins, does yours foam in 5 mins? Do you use quick rising yeast?
DeleteYou are most welcome. I will edit and specify 1 tsp. in my recipe. :) Regarding proofing yeast: either way is good. You could let it froth up which may take somewhere from 4-10 minutes. Active dry yeast is dormant, by adding warm water (100F) and letting it feed on sugar, I start the process. I do not see the froth, but surely bubbles by which I know my yeast is alive. You could use instant yeast too which does not need yeast proofing at all and can be added directly while making the dough. It is very important to understand the microorganisms and experiment and do what works best for you depending on the climate of the place and the temperature.
DeleteI hope to see your bread picture soon! :)
Keep cooking!
Shital
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was about to give up after trying to make pav at home using some other recipes and this one comes out awesome, my husband is crazy for these buns.
DeleteIt looks soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good along with the garlic bread you are going to make for our class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete<3 Kat
Love it!!!! But you are making me really hungry.
ReplyDelete>< arya ><
Thanks for sharing. I was able to follow all steps thoroughly. I tried baking bread in pyrex glass bakeware. I baked it for almost 20 mins to see light brown color on top. Taste came out perfect but bread got little over toasted. Do you have any suggest for this?
ReplyDeleteI am glad you liked the taste. The key here is to bake at high temperature for less time. 20 minutes is surely more. try doing 12-15 minutes of baking.
DeleteCan I use bread flour instead of all purpose flour?
DeleteYes Shweta!
DeleteWhich yeast do you use?? Any specific brand..
ReplyDeleteNo, I use any available :) Active dry or rapid rise.
DeleteOne word...Awesome !! Will try soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteHi Shital. I tried this today and I needed much more than 3 cups of all purpose flour (maybe almost 3 and 3/4 cups) to be able to kneed a dough. Is this ok or is it going to affect the outcome? Any other suggestions?
ReplyDeleteThat is just okay. I too use around 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour to dust and knead the dough. That just depends on the type of flour. Basically you need a well kneaded, soft dough. Let me know how your pav turns out. It would be great if you can share the picture too.
DeleteThanks Shital. The pav turned out great, I am not much of a bread maker, but this was a easy to follow recipe for me. Just the amount of flour got me confused!! Would love to post a photo, but I am not sure how I can do it here.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. A great relief for me too. I am glad it turned out well. You can post the picture on my facebook page :) https://www.facebook.com/shitalskitchenlab
DeleteHi shital,
ReplyDeleteI have tried pav today...as per the instructions I have followed every step,But I unable to understand why my pav was hard on top...While baking intitally i kept for 450F for 10mins but I coludn't see anything brown ,it was still plain white like the prepared dough...so I have baked for 10 more mins...color changed,but it was hard outside..and soft(not tooo soft,but somewhat ok)....can you help me out with this??
Oh no, I feel so bad. :( Did you preheat the oven to 450F? If you did preheat, what is the highest temperate on your oven. The whole concept of soft pav is baking at high temperature for short period of time. Baking it for a longer time will make it crisp and hard.
DeletePlease do not let this discourage you. Try again and feel free to message me if you have any questions.
Xactly same happened to me tooo...I tried twice but same thing happened...
DeletePlease check your oven setting. Preheat the oven atleast for 10 minutes first before putting the pav in to bake. Check if the oven is still on after preheating. because if that shuts down, temperature will decrease. Do you have convection setting on your oven?
DeleteShital I had the same problem..crust was hard. I did preheat the oven amd temperature was maintained through out the process
DeleteNeha, maybe cutting down on baking time could help. Or also by keeping the baking tray in the center of the oven. I actually don't find any reason why the top should crust.
DeleteHi Shital
ReplyDeletePls tell me which oven do u use for baking bread & cakes etc.
Hello,
DeleteI use Kitchenaid convection oven for all baking.
Can I use bread flour instead of all purpose flour?
ReplyDeleteYes, you could use bread flour too.
DeleteAmazing recipe...will surely give it a try...I always miss Sardar bakery pav in Mumbai...do you conduct any classes too ? TIA
ReplyDeleteThank you Sona! :) No I don't conduct classes. I am a science teacher by profession and cooking is my passion :)
DeleteDo u have some receipe of bread without using yeast?
DeleteCan the bread be baked ib microwave?
hi shital, the pavs look amazing, i have a query on yeast, i have instant ragi yeast which neither froths or bubbles up when added to lukewarm water/milk?
ReplyDeletethe expiry is for 2016, so i still have 2 yrs to go....
Thank you Geetika. I am sorry, not sure about Instant Ragi yeast. Maybe it does not froth at first and then mixed with flour might give a good result. Do try a small batch and see if the dough rises.
DeleteI followed all the instructions as is but no success the dough which i made didnt rise at all plus when i baked them they were rock hard can you help me please :(
ReplyDeleteSorry about that Nishant. If the dough did not rise, check the expiry date of yeast. It could also be that you used very hot water which resulted into yeast dying. Don't let this demotivate you. try it again and let me know if you have any questions.
DeleteThanks shital i will give it a try again :)
DeleteHi Shital
ReplyDeleteDo I need a professional mixer to mix the dough or you think I can manage with hand mixer? New to baking so don't laugh at me. TIA
Hello,
DeleteBuying a professional dough maker depends on how much baking or dough making you will do. If you thinck you will be using it, you could go for one. Cost is a big factor here. Sometime, just a hand mixer works too. I would say think on your priorities and then buy. :)
Happy Baking!
Hi..thanks for the recipe! I tried it but had problem of burning the lower side of the buns when the upper side was not browned..how is the lower side of the buns lightly toasted and the upper side brown when the heat in the oven is coming fron below? Or do I need to set it to broil where heat comes from above?
ReplyDeleteI am assuming your oven is heated more from the bottom then the top. Do you have a different bake or convection setting on it. You want to heat to be distributed evenly. You do not have to broil it. Also try using a thicker pan too so that it is not heated much at the bottom. Let's try to fix this so that you can make delicious pavs at home.
DeleteNo my oven doesn't have convection settings..there is only one control for the oven temperature. .thats it. I think I have to use a different temp for my oven..I will try doing it at a higher temperature next time..nevertheless the pav was awesome..tasted even better next day when I heated it up in the microwave. .it became soft.
DeleteHi shital i tried it today but it was hard from outside n soft from inside..where i went wrong???
ReplyDeleteIt could be oven temperature. Also oven should be preheated to 450F before you keep the pav to bake in. Hope is works for you.
DeleteShital! You are the boss! Made the pav's today. Came out just perfect! Thank you very much for the perfect recipe.
ReplyDelete:) WOW!! i am glad you liked it. Thanks for commenting :)
DeleteNot sure where my earlier comment went.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I’m going to try these pav’s to go with some spicy missal. I had two questions:
1) Your recipe above yields about 15 pav’s right?
2) I’m don’t bake usually, so this might sound like a stupid question. But I see that you have used a baking pan with edges for your pav’s, do you think I can use a cookie sheet? Or do you think the pav’s need the support from the edges?
Thanks!
WOW misal pav...all time favortie!!
Delete1) Yes at least 15 pavs. I have made 16-18 pavs too. We like not so big pavs. We prefer small and delicate ones like Mumbai.
2) You can use a cookie sheet to bake these too. I use a pan so that i get square edges when they rise. Also covering with a towel becomes easy without dough sticking on the towel. I you are using a cookie sheet. Be careful of the towel. cover the towel raised so that it does not stick on the pavs.
Enjoy baking...it is fun!! I would love to see the picture. Please share it on my fb page.
Dear shital
ReplyDeleteAm planninģ to try this recipe tomorrow..but need a clarification..
I usually do all my baking in a rectangular borosil glass pan..i have an LG microwave which I use on convection mode..
Should I prefer a traditional baking pan over my borosil for this recipe?
I am not sure about this. In Indian, I used glass baking pan and it worked fine to bake pavs. Haven't tried that since past 10 years now, so cannot tell you for sure.
DeleteEnjoy baking! :) would love to see your pav pictures. Please share it on my fb page :)
Hi Shital,
ReplyDeleteI would like to know if I can use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose as white flour don't suits me.
And are there any alterations in the process which should be taken care ... Appreciate your response.
Whole wheat makes Pav dense and less fluffier compared to all purpose flour. That is because of the elasticity and ai pockets formed in all purpose flour dough. You can mix half of each of these flours or if you are okay with the not so fluffy texture, you can make with whole wheat too. Knead it well to develop gluten for good air pockets. I have made bread loaf with whole wheat, it is just about making healthy choices vs taste :)
DeleteHi Shital,
ReplyDeleteThe pavs's looks awesome! I plan on making them over the weekend. Its my first time baking. My oven does not have a preheat setting. What could be the alternative to this?
Thanks, Priya
Thanks Priya. Turn the heat on 450 F for 15 minutes before putting your pav in to bake. That way the temperature in the oven will slowly rise to the correct one before the pavs bake.
DeleteThanks Shital!
DeleteHi shital .... Just got hold of ur blog thru ED group ... Love the way u explain ur recipes. You makw it so simple :-). Have a quick question .. Is this dough same as the dough made for pizza ...? I made pizza today ... Can I use the same dough to make bread ...?
ReplyDeleteAnd if I have a leftover pizza / pav bread dough.. How do I keep it ? And for how long I can ?
Thanks a lot !
Thanks a lot!!
DeleteYes you could use this dough for pizza too. Left over pav can be wrapped in plastic wrap and can be store outside of the fridge for a day or two or refrigerated for 4-5 days. Just quick warming for 5 seconds in the microwave before using it will soften it.
Hi Shital ... Not sure where my last msg went I wrote this morning .. Just wondering for how long can we keep the pizza / bread dough and how to store it .
DeleteYou should not store the dough. They will surely taste better when fresh, but you can store them for 4-5 days either outside or in the fridge depending on the climate where you are.
DeleteShital, we tried twice and both the time failed. After leaving dough for one hour and kneading again, cutting into 14 balls and putting it in the baking tray as ur recipe says. However, they don't rise like the above picture after covering them with moist towel for 45 min. Please suggest.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry Roopal. :( Did the dough rise (double in size the first time you let it rest? If it rose the first time, it should rise again. Also did you use warm water to dissolve yeast? I so want this recipe to work for u.
DeleteThis happened with me too... It rose for the first time. However as I began to knead it it came back to original size ... after 45 mins and leaving it for the second time it dint rise much or not at all .... Not sure why...
DeleteWhen I baked it, the outer layer was hard but insides were nevertheless softer and tasted like pav.
So now I am eating my pav like I eat an avocado ;)
Even I have faced the same problem , the buns didn't rise at all in the second proofing 😥 Fail to understand what went wrong 🙈 I will be trying it again tomorrow , keeping my fingers crossed 🙏
DeleteIt has been almost 20 minutes and the pav aren't turning brown.. can you suggest why it is so and what should I do?
ReplyDeleteHello Kavita, that should not happen. was your oven preheated to 450F temperature before you placed the pavs in to bake? they should get ready in 10-12 minutes. Otherwise they will harden. Let me know how they turned out and what happened?
DeleteThanks for your reply, Shital. Yes, oven was preheated for 450F but I think we need to set temp when we start to bake as well? I felt the the bake temp doesn't get set to preheat temp by default and we have to re-set it. It took me almost 35-40 minutes to get the color and I got the result after finally setting temp for 500F and cooking last 12 mins at that temp. It is a digital oven and doesn't show the temp once baking starts.
DeleteI am using Pyrex rectangle glass bakeware for baking and have GE oven. How much temp Shall I set for baking? Also, do I need to remove bread fron oven even if its light brown after 10 min?
ReplyDeleteYou could use the same temperature but do keep an eye on them. Sometimes they do bake faster. You do not want them in the oven for a long time, or else they will harden.
DeleteSo, I tried baking pav's this weekend and I must admit, it is one of the best pav's I have ever had. There is a certain joy in eating bread right out of the oven. I was trying to save them for when the guests arrive but could not help but have some fresh with butter! So good! Thank you for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteI read all the comments thoroughly before baking and i found the comments and Shitals' responses to the comments/questions very very helpful, so here are my observations: I ended up using about 1/4 cup of flour in the kneading process, which worried me initially since i was thinking i was messing with the measurements but remembered the comment saying that using extra flour during the process in ok.I debated replacing water in shital's recipe for milk, but decided to stick to water, not sure if milk will make them better, perhaps next time? While baking, I kept the pav's on the second from the top rack in the oven and my pav's did not brown from the top, even after i kept them in for about 20 mins. After 20 mins, I removed them, since i did not want to harden them, so next time, perhaps I need to keep them in the top shelf.
Overall, they were one of the best tasting pav's, once I fix the cosmetic issues, I will be very happy with the overall product! :) Thanks Shital!
Thank you so much for giving this a try and I am glad you liked the taste :) Yes, some people might need slightly more flour is because of the type of flour used too. So understanding our ingredients and working accordingly is important. :) For making pavs, water is perfect. If you plan to make on nice caramelized bun, do use milk. that would make them soft giving them beautiful color because of the sugars in milk. Middle rack is ideal for baking. I hope they did not get too hard because of 20 minute baking time.
DeleteThanks again for your response. This is surely going to be useful to others too!
Hi Shital, I tried your pav recipe today and it turned out awesome!! I have tried baking pav many times before but none of the recipes I used earlier were as good. Thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteThat is great! I am so happy you liked it!
DeleteShital, I made pav using your simple recipe. They turned out great! Never buying pav again! Home made from now on. Thanks. Your recipe with pics helped and the comment with suggestions made it perfect! Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome! Thank u so much for trying it! :)
DeleteHi Shital, I tried your recipe last night and everything went great till the baking process. the flour rose twice looked and felt great. I also read all the comments about oven temps and made sure that was correct. Here is what happened though.. It took about 17 min to get a simple brown color on top.. Which was no where close to what you got and the pav was dense and not fluffy and air has it should be. Also it smelled and tastes very yeasty.. Where did I go wrong? Any tips are appreciated. Thanks
ReplyDeleteOh no. that should not happen. I normally get the colour in 7-9 minutes of baking. How much yeast did u add to the water. I don't see any reason for it to be dense if the temperature was correct. Did the bread rise well the second time too? I mean were they nice and fluffy before you put them in for baking?
DeleteCan I follow the same recipe using whole wheat flour?
ReplyDeleteHello Chaitali, yes you can but whole wheat will need 2 tbsp more water and more kneading to develop gluten. The result might also be different from regular pav.
Deletehi shital just tried your pav receipe but the dough did not rise at all. :( which company yeast do u use?
ReplyDeleteI use fleischmann's yeast. Did you add in sugar too. and check the expiry date on yeast packet.
Deletehi shital what kind of yeast did you use. I mean is it rapid or active dry yeast. TIA.
ReplyDeleteI have used both active and well as rapid rise for my pav. You could use any.
DeleteHi Shital, one quick question. Can i use silicone bakeware instead of glass or metal bakeware?
ReplyDeleteYes that should work fine too.
DeleteShital I tried d pav recipe today. Its turned out delicious. I myself cannot believe hw tasty they turn out.. Thanks a lot. Love your website. Keep those amazing recipes coming so we can fish fr compliments :-) all credit to you...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for such a wonderful comment! I am so glad you loved the pavs.
DeleteHi Shital, I have left a message on ur fb page regarding this receipe. Please check and let me know where I need to make it better.
ReplyDeleteSorry about that. Your message went into my others folder so just check it now.
DeleteHi Shital, I tried the pav bread yesterday and it turned out good but a little dense and the bread smells too yeasty. What could be the reason? Also it took 20 mins to bake at 200 degrees centigrade.
ReplyDeleteHello Priya. Let the bread dough rise for more than 45 minutes. That will make them fluffier. Try to knead the dough slightly more too. Also it should not take 20 minutes. Did you preheat the oven before keeping the pavs to bake?
DeleteHi Shital thanks for your reply. I kept the oven for pre heating ten minutes prior to baking at 200 degrees centigrade. I have been reading the comments and your replies to this post. Will try this again and let you know. Another query my wet cloth got stuck to the dough both times. Any suggestions to avoid this. TIA
DeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI love this recipe and I have never baked before.. I must say ur recipe is awesome to begin! I have a quick question, While preheating and baking do we just use the temp option or I have another button for fan/fan grill/grill etc.Do I choose any of these as well? Or is it just the temp? Can u please help me with this? TIA
Thanks a lot! I would say go with the fan too. because you want the heat to be distributed well. On my oven I have convection bake so the fan starts automatically. It would be a good idea to check the oven manual for functions.
DeleteHi shital
ReplyDeleteI need to prepare pav for a party of 25 people..will the pav remain fresh if i prepare a day before party...also it would b grt if u could suggest the proper quantity of ingredients..
Yes you can prepare a day before. wrap it well in plastic cling wrap or in a ziplock once it cools. Do not let them dry out. I would suggest you make in batches keeping this same ingredient list. make 3-4 separate batches so that it is easier the handle. Enjoy your party!
DeleteHi Shital,
ReplyDeleteI want to try making pav following your receipe.
Never did any baking before.
Little nervous.
Do I need thermometer to measure water temp.?
Or us there any way around ?
Please guide with any other tips as I am a newbie .
Thanks
Sejal
Hello Sejal, don't worry this is really easy. You do not need thermometer. just warm the water in the microwave for 20 seconds. it should be quite warm and not very hot for this microorganism yeast to die.
DeleteHi Shital, tried your recipe for pav .....mmmm awesome...no words to explain the taste and aroma.....thank you a loads for sharing the perfect recipe.... That made it more simple to bake.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Bhairavi :) I am so glad it worked for you and you liked it.
DeleteDid you try to use wheat flour instead of maida? I am thinking if thats possible, we can get a healthier version.
ReplyDeleteI have not tried. It will work if you add lightly more water and knead it really well to develop gluten in wheat. But, yet the texture will not be totally like this one. It is surely a healthier option. My husband likes the original pav with bhaji. i don't think he will say yes for whole wheat ones so have never tried :) Maybe with do it someday.
DeleteWhat kind of yeast did u used? Can u suggest some brands? Is it active yeast?
ReplyDeleteI use fleischmann's active yeast.
DeleteWhat do u mean by "let the dough proof for 45 min? " I m new to baking, so didn't get this. Also, covering the dough with wet muslin cloth when it is resting to proof is ok or u need thick towel?
ReplyDeleteTo proof is letting the dough rest to rise. Yes, so cover the dough with moist cloth (a kitchen towel works) for 45 minutes to an hour to rise well.
DeleteHey Shital, Thanks for an awesome recipe. Can you please suggest how we can use wheat flour instead of all purpose flour?
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance..
Thanks a lot! For wheat flour: add 2 tbsp more water and knead the dough really well to develop gluten. Let it rise well second time too for an hour.
DeleteHey Shital! Thanks for the awesome recipe. The pavs look amazing. I wanted to know can I use the same recipe to bake a loaf of bread in a loaf pan?
ReplyDeleteThanks Gurpreet, I am so glad this worked for you. Yes you can use the same recipe. Check out my basic bread loaf recipe.
DeleteHai shital I see ever wr pre heat oven as I'm new using oven I don't understand this term, how much time before it shld b pre heated n when can I put my tray how to relate with other recipes to plssss help
ReplyDeleteSwetha preheat means to heat up the oven before putting the pav tray in to bake. So you set the oven to 450F. Your over might show the temperature and might ding when it reaches 450F. If your oven does not show the temperature, just set it to 450F for 10-15 minutes before placeing the pav in. this is to make sure that the air inside in nice and hot to bake the pav.
DeleteHi Shital. I can't see most of the images on your blog. I am from India and I am using Mozilla Firefox browser. Plz is there any way I can view the images? I have tried loading your blog in multiple laptops and mobile devices but the result is still the same. Plz I am dying to try your Pav-Bread recipe..! Plz solve my problem!! :((
ReplyDeleteZenobia, I am so sorry about that. Probably it maybe because of the internet speed and it might take time to download. Did you try google chrome browser. That works better than firefox sometimes. I hope you get to see and make these pavs soon!
DeleteShital thanks much. I tried the pav and they turned out great. However the taste was a little on sweeter side. Also when I tried to cur the pav in half just a slit not all the way thru. They were so brittle that it all crumbled. Is this normal?
ReplyDeleteYou can reduce the amount of sugar slightly. They should not be sweet at all. Also they should be really soft to avoid cracking or crumbling. Add a bit more butter to prevent it from drying and keep the dough covered all the time before baking.
DeleteAwesome thanks so much will certainly try with less sugar and more butter
DeleteHi shital. I want to try this pav. But i dont have big metal cake tray. Can i use aluminium faoil tray? On the same temprature?
ReplyDeleteYes you could use an aluminum tray.
DeleteHi Shital, I tried your recipe today & the pavs turned out awesome. The fresh bake aroma filled the house and for once i was so proud of myself as i am not a very good cook. Hope you know your recipe is the most sought after & d pav baking mania has caught up in 3 continents. So many thanks & many congratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Shakti from London
Hi shital,I don't have unsalted butter. I have salted butter. Can I use that? Will it make any difference?
ReplyDeleteYes you can use salted butter too. I use that most of the time.
DeleteHi shital,I tried the recipe. Everything was perfect. The dough did rise, and I made small rounds of it and kept for 45 mind also. But when I put it in the preheated oven at 450 f even after 15 mind I was not able to see any color on top of pav so I ended up keeping it for total of 20 mind in the oven hoping to get some color on top.this process made my buns very hard from outside.
DeleteWhat went wrong here? Why was I not able to get that brown color on top?
DeleteIt could just be the temperature :( Was the oven preheated well? Also what you can do next time is bake them for 10 minutes and just change the setting to broil for some golden brown color.
DeleteHi shital..m from india, have a microwave so can I bake in convection mode? Hope it gets a brown color in that..got solar brand dry yeast. Also can I replace maida with whole wheat flour?
ReplyDeleteSargam, you can make this in convection mode. I used to make it in my convection microwave when I was in India and it just works fine. You can use whole wheat but the texture will be slightly different. You will have to use slightly more water and knead the dough well. I would suggest you make regular pav first and then make whole wheat one.
DeleteHi again...will it become brown in convection? Or do I have to grill for 2-3 minutes to give them a brown color?
DeleteShital,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the detailed recipe.The Pav came out great.I think i will be tryign out recipes for bread next.Will keep you posted on the outcomes:)
Deepthi
Thank you so much Deepthi! :)
DeleteHi Shital,
ReplyDeleteMy dough did rise both the times.. But Still the pav are not that soft.. I baked them for 10 min at 450F... Plus they didnt rise in height when I place them in tray.. Instead they got spread.. :(
Any suggestions to correct it next time?
Oh! Let them rise a bit more the second time. So that they get more fluffy and soft.
DeleteHi Shital ..I tried your recipe yesterday and i failed :(
ReplyDeleteActually dough did rise in size as good as double both the times but when I tried to take of f the moist cloth..it twas sticked to it n could see lot of air pockets and then I forcefully had to take it off which made the dough go back to its original size.
Not sure if its because the dough was not hard enough may be I had used small cup to measure..donno..
Can you please advise ? I really want to try it again ..
I still baked those thick lumps and it was more of hard bun. I used it like a toast with tea
oh no!! use a deep pan so that when the dough rises it does not touch the towel otherwise it will stick. I think that was the main reason for the dough turning hard. Please try it again. If your dough rose well, you should get goof pav.
DeleteHi Shital,
ReplyDeleteI tried making pav but it didn't change color after 10 mins. So I kept it on broil and it gave nice brown color. But it was white and uncooked from bottom. Even I can taste it uncooked from middle too. I can smell the yeast. Can you pls give any suggestions for that? TIA.
Let it bake for 12-13 minute. Also preheat the oven well before baking them. Please try again. I am sure you will get great results.
DeleteHi shital
ReplyDeleteI want to try this recipe. Looks amazing. Can you pls tell me if I can use ghee instead of melted unsalted butter?
yes you can use ghee too (same quantity) :)
DeleteHi Shital,
ReplyDeleteWhat change to be made in pav recipe if using rapid yeast?
TIA
I use rapid yeast too sometimes using the same method.
Deletedoes rapid yeast cut the time down? esp. the first raise? the instructions in the yeast packet says so. I was not sure.
DeleteThx
Yes it does, but I just use it like active dry yeast.
DeleteHi Shital,
ReplyDeleteI tried your Pav recipe today and everything went well except my Pav were raw and they didn't bake all the way. I even let them bake for 12 minutes at 450F. Could you please tell me what could have gone wrong?
Oh no! The only reason I can think is the oven temperature. Did you preheat the oven to 450 F first?
DeleteEverything went off well but while baking and when it came out they were like super hard and didn't became soft. Don't know what went wrong. Oven was preheated at 450 first and kept for 10 min, color didn't change then kept on 400 for 10 min more again color slightly changed, had to keep it for again 10 min at 400 and it turned out like biscuits. Could you tell me what went wrong?
ReplyDeleteCan I make half of this recipe?. I am new to baking so would like to try a small batch
ReplyDeleteIf I use rapid yeast, do I wait for 5 min before adding flour, salt n butter or can immediately mix all the ingredients?
ReplyDeletehello.. ShitalG...want to try ur pav receipe..
ReplyDeletehow can i do in convection mode..?
Hi Shital,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this recipe. I tried it and the results were perfect. I credit it to the detailed instructions.
Have you tried making a healthier, whole wheat version. Does such an option even exist? :)
Thanks
Hi Shital,
ReplyDeleteI had a few questions before i attempt to bake these:
- measurement of water says 1 1/4 cup , do you mean 1 + 1/4 cup or just one 1/4cup of warm water?
- measurement of active dry yeast? again i am assuming its two packets of 1/4tsp yeast, right?
- lastly, approx how much should i heat the water in the microwave ( 100% power efficiency) to get it to 100Degree F?
Thanks you!
Hi Shital. Tried the pav again. The dough rose very well both times. The first time I let it stand for an hour abs the second time for 1.5 hours. However after I put the pav for Baking they sunk and the end result was dense pav with an yeasty smell. I pre heated the oven at 250 degree centigrade for 10 minutes and then put the pav for Baking. When I put the pav in the heating elements were not red hot. I did not get the brown colour for ten minute so both my heating elements were on while baking. For the browning I then turned on the top heating element only for a few minutes.
ReplyDeletePlease advice on what I should do the next time? Should both the heating elements be turned on? Or only the lower initially and then the upper for browning. I guess something goes wrong during the baking part. Awaiting your response. Thanks in advance.
Hi shital can you tell us the recipe of mak8ng pav In MICROWAVE ?????
ReplyDeleteHi.shital.can I use salted butter for this recipe ?
ReplyDeleteHi dear please help me am trying this recipe now...and I want to make half of the above...so please please tell me the changes and...and can I use salted butter or oil instead coz do t have unsalted butter....please help as soon as possible
ReplyDeleteHi again and one more thing I have convection oven and the highest temp is 200 so how much time do I bake it....and of I need to add salt if using salted butter please please help
ReplyDeleteHi sheetal....first of all a big thanks to you for this recipe....i tried it yesterday and it really turned out good...just one thing i did mess was the underside...while the pavs were perfevt from inside n upside...my underside was dark n hard(though it is comparatively soft today).....can u guide me where i might have made a mistake...
ReplyDeletethanks in advance..
Tried this today, came out great!! This recipe is for sure a keeper!! Thanks
ReplyDeleteCan you please let me know which brand of yeast do u use. The one which I have is very big granules.
ReplyDeleteThanks Shital for the recipe. Made pav today. Turned out really good...:). Keep up the good work.
ReplyDelete-Prita
Thanks a lot!
DeleteThanks..it turned out very good :)
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot!
DeleteThanks for the recipe. I tried this in microwave. It took exactly 3 minutes to bake. The pavs were soft n fluffy, but didn't brown at all :((
ReplyDeletethat is because microwave will not brown the food. you have to use convection of broil for that.
DeleteThanks for this wonderful recipe. I have tried it for the first time but the pav was a little dense. Don't know what went wrong. Any idea???
ReplyDeleteKnead the dough really well and let the dough rest the second time for some more time to rise well. That will give more air pockets.
DeleteLooks great. Any recipe to make the same with whole wheat flour?
ReplyDeleteYou can try with whole wheat but you might have to add gluten to it. It will surely give different results.
DeleteHey Shital, tried your pav bread recipe and turned out great! If I want to make them sweet like bun in India with tutty frutti, is it ok to increase the sugar quantity? If yes, how much should I increase?
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot. Yes you can and add tutti fruitti to it. I have done that before,
DeleteCame out awesome.. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!! Expecting many more.. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot! :)
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteHow to oven heat up paav with butter in oven for paav Bhaji :the way we do on griddle?? Want to know this since 20-25 guests are expected.
What I do is roast pav with butter on the griddle and wrap them in foil, Then heat it in the oven. that way pav will be hot and nice and wont dry out and become hard.
DeleteHi Shital,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Poonam. I tried making the pav bun according to your given instructions and the ingredients. At very first it went on well till i mixed the yeast and flour( i used maida). kept it for rest as per the recipe and it raised only a bit. yet i continued with the dough making balls like and keeping in the tray n resting again. but here i failed as the dough balls did not raise. still i baked it accordingly and the bun was not exactly how it should have been. it became hard and like a cookie it looked. nor did the dough within was cooked.
i was really excited and tried the recipe twice but both times it was a failure :(
can you help me out plz!!
So sorry Poonam! It is important for the water to be nice and warm. Did u add warm water and sugar. These are very important for bread dough to rise. If the climate outside is not warm, you can warm the oven a bit and keep the dough in warm oven to give warmth to yeast. Yeast loves warmth and sugar to grow and multiply.
DeleteAwesome awesome..I tried And it was a Super hit
ReplyDeleteI want to bake the pav today. But can i use glass pyrex rectangular bowls for this? Also should i adjust the temperature for using glass bowl? If i can't use glass bowl, can i use cookie tray instead. Requesting your immediate response. Thank you
ReplyDeleteHi shital,
ReplyDeleteCan u plz tell me that if v r using blue bird dry yeast then wht quantity of yeast to be used? Is it the same quantity?
Hi Shital,
ReplyDeleteI tried your recipe bt I dont know what went wrong it was hard outside n sofr inside. .I followed all ur steps and was all the same till I preheated the oven..after tha the result was this :(... can u tell me where I went wrong..I used cookies tray was that a problem...
Hi Shital,
ReplyDeleteThanks, I tried your recipe and pau came out to be soooo soft and delicious, I could not find way to attach the pic here.. but, yeah, thanks a lot for sharing the recipe!
-Anchal
Hi shital. I've become a big fan of your pav. I love the way you have explained step by step. So much so that I'm addicted to bread baking these days. We've stopped buying pav and garlic bread sticks now. I'm hosting a brunch today and am making wada pav. I am not going to deep fry the wada but rather stuff the potato in the pav dough and bake. Hope it turns out ok. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteHi Shital...I tried ur pav today, it was sticky and I had to add 1 cup flour extra. Also had to keep in d oven for 15 mins. And d result was good except I can smell d yeast. Is it normal?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSo great to see comments for all ladies. I think I am the only one male enthusiast on this blog. hehehehe. I run a small Resto called Breads and Buns in Mumbai.
ReplyDeleteShital, Can i use ghee instead of butter?
ReplyDeleteDelicious, very good recipe.
ReplyDeleteShital
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely recipe. I tried the pav today however the base got little harder than the top. Also the bread in the sides also were little hard. The only 4 pieces in the middle were soft.
Where did I go wrong?
Thanks
Niki
Hi sheetal,,, finally it's time for me to try your THE pav recepie on ED,,,, I m your big fan, you always inspire me to cook...
ReplyDeleteSmall query I have 25 gm packet of instant yeast, how I can incorporate that in above recepie...
Thanks
Can I freeze the dough?
ReplyDeleteHi Shital
ReplyDeleteHave read ur recipe n i m sure it defintely comes out the best Bombay Pav. Have read praises abt it on ED too.
Is there any replacement for oven? Say a bati cooker,or handva cooker used on gas stove. I don't have a oven n very curious to make pav at home.
Thanks
Hey Shital,
ReplyDeleteThanks a ton for this recipe! Have made pav a couple of times and they turned out to be awesome each time. Well I have a question for u.. Can i use the same recipe (same proportion of ingredients) to a make a loaf of bread (using one 9x5 loaf pan)?
Thanks,
Mona
Very nice post, impressive. its quite different from other posts. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletekabab Restaurant In South Delhi
Made these today, and what a success! This is the first time I ever made pav at home. They've come out so well. Gr8 color, super soft and lovely mesh inside! Thank you soooo much for sharing the recipe! Can't wait to surprise hubby with pav-bhaji for dinner tonight :)
ReplyDeleteNikita
Hi Shital ....
ReplyDeleteNeed help ... I don't have a big pan to cook the pav.
Can I use pizza pan to cook the pav (bread) Or Do I need to have the closed pan ?
Don't want to buy new one before first successful attempt.
Waiting for response ....
-Vidya