If you have ever enjoyed Tawa Bhaji at a wedding, restaurant, or hotel, you know how delicious this dish can be. This version is my homemade take on the classic recipe, made with a colorful selection of vegetables, a rich tomato cashew melon seed masala, and a buttery tempering.
The vegetables are first fried individually until perfectly cooked and lightly crisp. They are then tossed with a flavorful, spicy masala made with tomatoes, cashews, melon seeds, and aromatic Indian spices. Finally, a ghee and butter tempering with green chilies, hing, kasoori methi, and ginger gives the dish its irresistible finishing touch. This tawa sabzi is without onion and garlic…
The best part is that you can customize the vegetables according to what you have available. Serve it as a delicious side dish with roti, naan, paratha, or even rice.
- Loaded with vegetables: A delicious way to enjoy a variety of vegetables in one dish.
- Rich and flavorful: The tomato, cashew, and melon seed masala makes the bhaji wonderfully rich and creamy.
- Restaurant-style taste: Ghee, butter, and aromatic spices give this homemade version a delicious restaurant-style flavor.
- Customizable: Use your favorite vegetables or whatever is available in your refrigerator.
- Perfect for special occasions: It makes a wonderful addition to a festive or party menu.
- Adjustable consistency: Make it dry or add hot water to turn it into a delicious gravy.
- Full of Indian flavors: The combination of Kashmiri chili, amchur, Kitchen King masala, kasoori methi, and garam masala makes every bite flavorful.
If you love restarunt style sabji you may like our other recipes also..
Authentic Lunger-Style Dal Makhani Recipe
For the Vegetables
- 1 potato
- 4 small brinjals (eggplant)
- 1 carrot
- 4 large green chilies (Bhavnagri chilies)
- ½ cup cauliflower florets
- 2 bitter gourds
- 3 baby corns
- ½ cup ivy gourd (tindora)
- 6 okra (bhindi)
- Oil, for frying
Spice Mix for the Fried Vegetables
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Tawa Bhaji Masala
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 green chilies
- 1-inch piece ginger
- 10 cashews
- ¼ cup melon seeds (magaj)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 dried red chili
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Kitchen King masala
- Salt, to taste
- Chopped fresh coriander, as needed
For the Final Tempering
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 green chilies, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
- ¼ teaspoon kasoori methi
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ½-inch piece ginger, cut into thin juliennes
Step 1 - Prepare the vegetables
- You can use any combination of vegetables you like for this recipe.
- Firstly, cut the 1 potato into strips. Cut the 1/2 cup tindora or tondali (ivy gourd) in half, 1 carrot into long pieces, and 4 small brinjals into suitable pieces. Remove the seeds from the bitter gourd and lightly peel the outer surface to reduce some of its bitterness.
- Now take 6 bhindi or okra.. Slit the okra lengthwise from the center. Keep the cauliflower in small florets and prepare the 3 baby corn and 4 bhawnagari green chilies.
- Keep the cut vegetables aside.
Step 2 - Prepare the bitter gourd
- Place the bitter gourd in a bowl and add a little salt and turmeric powder.
- Rub it well and set it aside for some time. This helps reduce the bitterness.
Step 3 - Soak the cashews and melon seeds
In a small bowl, add the cashews and melon seeds. Add enough water and let them soak while you prepare the vegetables
Step 4 - Fry the vegetables
- Now heat oil in a kadai or deep pan.
- Start by frying the vegetables that take longer to cook, such as the potatoes and cauliflower.
- Fry until lightly golden and cooked through, then remove them from the oil and place them on a plate.
- Next, fry the carrot and baby corn. Once cooked, remove them and keep aside.
- Now fry the brinjal and green chilies.
- Once they are fried, add the ivy gourd and cook until tender.
- Next, add the okra. Okra cooks quickly, so it does not need to be fried for very long.
- Finally, squeeze the prepared bitter gourd well to remove excess moisture and fry it. Bitter gourd is added toward the end so that its bitterness does not transfer too much into the frying oil.
- Once all the vegetables are fried, set them aside.
Step 5 - Season the fried vegetables
- In a small bowl, combine the Kashmiri red chili powder – 1 tbsp, amchur powder – 1 tsp, turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp, coriander powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Sprinkle this spice mixture over the fried vegetables and gently toss to coat them evenly.
Step 6 - Prepare the paste
- Drain the soaked cashews – 10 and melon seeds – 1/4 cup.
- Transfer them to a blender and grind into a smooth, fine paste. Set aside.
Add the tomatoes – 4, green chilies – 2, and 1 inch ginger to a blender. Blend until smooth and set the tomato mixture aside.
Step 7 - Cook the tawa bhaji masala
- Arrange the fried vegetables on a large tawa or wide pan, leaving some space on one side for preparing the masala.
- Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil on the tawa.
- Add the dried red chili – 1 and cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp . Let them sizzle for a few seconds.
- Add the prepared tomato, green chili, and ginger paste.
- Increase the heat to medium high and cook the tomato mixture well.
- Once the raw smell starts to disappear, add the red chili powder – 1 tsp, turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp, coriander powder – 1 tsp, cumin powder – 1 tsp, Kitchen King masala – 1/2 tsp, chopped coriander, and salt as per taste.
- Mix everything well and cook until the masala is nicely roasted and the oil begins to separate from the mixture.
Step 8 - Add the cashew and melon seed paste
- Add the prepared cashew and melon seed paste to the masala. Mix well and continue cooking.
- The paste can stick to the bottom of the tawa, so keep stirring regularly. If the masala becomes too thick or starts sticking, add a little hot water.
- Cook the masala for about 8–9 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 9 - Prepare the ghee and butter tempering
- In a small pan, heat the ghee – 1 tbsp and butter – 1 tbsp.
- Add the roughly chopped green chilies – 2, and hing – 1/4 tsp. Let them sizzle for a few seconds.
- Pour this tempering over the cooked tomato masala.
- Add kasoori methi – 1/4 tsp, garam masala – 1/4 tsp, and ginger juliennes – 1/2 inch.
- Mix everything well.
Step 10 - Combine the vegetables and masala
- Add the fried vegetables to the prepared masala.
- Gently mix everything together so the vegetables are evenly coated with the rich tawa bhaji masala.
- Add chopped fresh coriander on top.
- If you prefer a dry tawa bhaji, cook it for a few more minutes until it reaches your desired consistency.
- For a gravy style tawa bhaji, add some hot water and simmer until you achieve the consistency you like.
- Our delicious homemade Tawa Bhaji is ready to serve!
Tawa Bhaji tastes best when served hot and fresh. Serve it with:
- Butter naan
- Tandoori roti
- Plain roti
- Lachha paratha
- Jeera rice
- Steamed rice
- Pav or toasted bread
For a complete Indian meal, serve it with dal, raita, salad, papad, and a pickle.
For parties or special occasions, serve the tawa bhaji directly from the hot tawa for a delicious restaurant style presentation.
- Use a variety of vegetables: The beauty of tawa bhaji is that you can use whatever vegetables you enjoy.
- Fry vegetables separately: Different vegetables have different cooking times, so frying them individually helps keep their texture and flavor intact.
- Don’t over-fry the vegetables: They should be cooked and lightly golden rather than dark and overly crisp.
- Treat bitter gourd separately: Salting and rubbing the bitter gourd before frying helps reduce its bitterness.
- Soak the cashews and melon seeds: This makes them easier to blend into a smooth, creamy paste.
- Cook the tomato masala properly: Don’t rush this step. Cooking until the oil starts separating removes the raw tomato flavor and develops a much richer taste.
- Keep stirring after adding the nut paste: Cashew and melon seed paste can stick to the pan easily.
- Use hot water: If the masala becomes too thick, add hot water rather than cold water.
- Adjust the consistency: Keep it thick for a dry tawa bhaji or add more water for a gravy-style version.
- Don’t skip the final tempering: The ghee, butter, green chili, hing, kasoori methi, and ginger give the dish its signature aroma and flavor.
- Adjust the spice level: Reduce the green chilies and red chili powder if you prefer a milder bhaji.
Tawa Subzi Recipe | शादियों वाली तवा भाजी रेसिपी
Adelicious restaurant style Tawa Bhaji made with assorted fried vegetablescooked in a rich tomato, cashew, and melon seed masala, finished with ghee,butter, kasoori methi, and aromatic spices.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 Potato
- 4 Small brinjals
- 1 Carrot
- 4 Large green chilies
- ½ cup Cauliflower
- 2 Bitter gourds
- 3 Baby corns
- ½ cup Tondali / Ivy gourd
- 6 Bhindi / okra
- Oil for frying
Vegetable Spice Mix
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Amchur powder Dry mango pwoder
- 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Masala
- 4 Tomatoes
- 2 green chilies
- 1 inch ginger
- 10 cashews
- ¼ cup Melon seeds
- 2 tbsp Oil
- ½ tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 Dried red chili
- 1 tsp Red chili powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- ½ tsp Kitchen King masala
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander chopped
Tempering
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 2 Green chilies chopped
- ¼ tsp Hing
- ¼ tsp Kasoori methi
- ¼ tsp Garam masala
- ½ inch Ginger julienned
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables
- Firstly, cut the potato into strips. Cut the ivy gourd in half, the carrot into long pieces, and the brinjals into suitable pieces. Slit the okra lengthwise from the center. Keep the cauliflower in small florets and prepare the baby corn and bhawnagari green chilies.
- Remove the seeds from the bitter gourd and lightly peel the outer surface to reduce some of its bitterness. Add some salt and turmeric the bitter gourd and set aside.
- Keep the cut vegetables aside.
- Now take cashews – 10 and melon seeds – ¼ cup. Add water and keep it aside.
Fry the vegetables
- Heat oil in a kadai and fry the potatoes and cauliflower until cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Fry the carrot and baby corn, followed by the brinjal and green chilies.
- Fry the ivy gourd (tondali), then the okra.
- Squeeze the bitter gourd well and fry it last. Set all the fried vegetables aside.
- Prepare masala, in a small bowl take Kashmiri chili powder – 1 tsp, turmeric powder – ¼ tsp, amchur powder – 1 tsp, coriander powder – ½ tsp, and salt. Mix it well.
- Now Sprinkle this masala mixture over the fried vegetables.
Prepare paste
- Blend the soaked cashews and melon seeds into a smooth paste.
- Blend tomatoes – 4, green chilies - 2, and ginger – 1 inch into a smooth paste.
Cook the tawa bhaji masala
- Let’s prepare tawa bhaji, heat oil on a tawa. Add 1 dried red chili and cumin seeds – ½ tsp.
- Add the prepared tomato paste and cook until well roasted.
- Add red chili powder – 1 tsp, turmeric p/w – ½ tsp, coriander powder – 1 tsp, cumin powder – 1 tsp, Kitchen King masala – ½ tsp, chopped coriander, and salt. Cook until the oil separates.
- Add the cashew & melon seed paste and cook for 8–9 minutes, stirring regularly. Add hot water if needed.
- Heat ghee and butter in a small pan. Add green chilies and hing.
- Pour the tempering over the masala. Add kasoori methi – ¼ tsp, garam masala – ¼ tsp, and ½ inch ginger juliennes.
- Add the fried vegetables and gently mix with the masala.
- Add hot water if you prefer a gravy style bhaji. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.
- For parties orspecial occasions, serve the tawa bhaji directly from the hot tawa for adelicious restaurant style presentation.
Video
Notes
- You can use any combination of vegetables you like. Capsicum, French beans, raw banana, arbi, peas, or drumsticks are also good options.
- Fry the vegetables separately according to their cooking time so they remain cooked but retain some texture.
- The cashew and melon seed paste gives the masala a rich and creamy texture.
- For a dry Tawa Bhaji, use very little water. For a gravy style version, add hot water as needed.
- The final ghee and butter tempering adds a delicious restaurant-style aroma and flavor.
- Serve the Tawa Bhaji hot with naan, roti, paratha, or jeera rice.
Tip
- Reduce bitter gourd bitterness: Rub the bitter gourd with salt and turmeric and let it rest before squeezing and frying.
- Don't overcook the vegetables: They should be tender but still hold their shape.
- Roast the masala well: Cook the tomato mixture until the raw smell disappears and the oil starts separating.
- Prevent sticking: The cashew-melon seed paste can stick to the tawa, so stir frequently and add a splash of hot water whenever needed.
- Adjust the spice: Reduce the green chilies and red chili powder for a milder version.
- For extra flavor: Don't skip the kasoori methi, garam masala, and ghee-butter tempering.
- Best served fresh: Tawa Bhaji tastes best when served hot, straight from the tawa.
What vegetables can I use for Tawa Bhaji?
You can use almost any vegetable you like. Potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, brinjal, okra, baby corn, capsicum, peas, French beans, raw banana, and arbi all work well.
Can I skip bitter gourd?
Yes. Bitter gourd is optional. If you don’t enjoy its slightly bitter taste, simply leave it out.
Can I add capsicum to Tawa Bhaji?
Absolutely. Green, red, or yellow capsicum makes a great addition and adds a lovely crunch and color.
Can I make Tawa Bhaji without cashews?
Yes. You can reduce or replace the cashews with additional melon seeds. The cashews and melon seeds mainly help make the masala rich and creamy.
What is magaj?
Magaj refers to melon seeds, which are commonly used in Indian cooking to add richness and creaminess to gravies and masalas.
Can I make Tawa Bhaji without a tawa?
Yes. A large skillet, cast-iron pan, or wide kadai can be used instead.
Can I make this recipe less spicy?
Yes. Reduce the green chilies and red chili powder according to your taste. Kashmiri red chili powder can be used mainly for color with less heat.
Can I make Tawa Bhaji ahead of time?
You can prepare the fried vegetables and masala separately ahead of time. For the best texture and flavor, combine and heat them just before serving.
How do I make Tawa Bhaji with gravy?
Simply add hot water to the prepared masala and simmer until you reach your preferred consistency. Add the fried vegetables and cook for a few more minutes.
Can I use frozen vegetables?
Yes, although fresh vegetables give the best texture. If using frozen vegetables, thaw and drain them well before cooking.
