Easy Homemade Pav (no mixer recipe)

Name: Easy Homemade Pav (no mixer recipe)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup warm mik; 1/4 cup water; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp instant yeast; 3 cups all purpose flour; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp milk powder; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp milk (before baking); 2 tbsp melted butter (after baking)

Fluffy and cloud like homemade pav that doesn’t need a mixer and only butter, flour, milk, yeast, water, salt and sugar. Simple ingredients and easy method makes for a soft and delicious bread you can make at home similar to the ladi pav recipe.

Think dinner rolls meets Indian cuisine and you’ve got yourself a delicious, fluffy, soft and simple homemade pav recipe. This Indian inspired eggless dinner roll recipe is literally a thing of my dreams.

Growing up in Malad Bombay, mum would send me to the bakery at 6pm to get fresh bread from Marve bakery or the bakery in 1st lane (cannot remember the name for the life of me). I always bought pav and brun bread and obviously an ice cream sandwich for myself and the hard labor or buying the bread. This recipe is an ode to those bakeries growing up that subconsciously set a standard for me. I’ve had pav in many bakeries after that not just in Bombay but in various restaurants, other bakeries in different locations in India and outside but call it brain washed nostalgia or anything you’d like to say as nothing compared (Sinead O’conor is serenading this, iykyk) to those bakeries.

Until I learned to make pav at home and it was rubbish. Like I mean it was hard, tough and not at all soft. Don’t get me wrong, I made brioche which is deliciously soft etc but it was not pav. A lot of trial and error later I have perfected the recipe and it is SO GOOD! My dad is in love with this recipe and has asked for it to be a staple at home.

But before I share the recipe I would like to share some information on pav and what it is. Many of you might not have heard it unless you’ve eaten pav bhaji or vada pav but that doesn’t mean pav is not eaten with other foods in India. However, if you are like me, living away from home and looking forward to eating a slice of Indian street food, tenths easy. Homemade pav recipe is just the place for you to get started. So lets get to it.

What is pav? What is pav called in English?

Pav is also known as soft eggless dinner rolls or bread rolls in India. They are buttery, fluffy and popularly served as pav bhaji or vada pav. Pav is the Marathi word for bread.

How is pav made?

There are many theories on how pav is made, they say the dough used too be knead but the bakers feet to create the elastic dough as the initial bakery industry in Bombay did not have machines and achieving that fluffy soft texture came from a labor some job of kneading. I have seen this in a couple of bakeries when was younger so there is some truth to it. Others say milk was too expensive to use and milk powder was a cheaper option. In saying this they would also add cream into the dough when making it for royalty. So while this is a very vague picture on how the bread is made, today it is made in machines with all purpose flour, dried yeast, milk, water, butter and salt. Some buns are sweeter with the addition of sugar/honey/condensed milk. The baked buns are always brushed with melted butter while warm so they absorb it as it cools down.

What is pav made of?

Pav is always made with all purpose flour or “maida” (as they call it in India). Some recipes use whole wheat flour (a form of “atta”) as well but traditionally it is made with regular all purpose flour. The dough also includes milk powder, milk, butter, water, yeast, salt and sugar. This can vary depending on bakeries and how it is made. However this is how I will be making it in this recipe.

How is pav different from bread?

Most often than not bread consists of flour, water, yeast and salt. The ratios can vary based on the recipe being prepared. Pav is an enriched bread with the addition of milk, butter and in some cases milk powder as well.

Is pav bread healthy?

Like any bread, white brad is considered to be taboo with its high bleached flour content. It is suggested to opt for whole wheat or brown bread to increase fiber content however a single pav will not ruin your life. Its about moderation – like anything else in life. Thanks for coming to my short and fluffy ted talk on healthy food.

What country invented pav?

Pav was invented in Bombay, India.

Is pav and burger bun the same? Is pav and bread same? Why is bread called pav?

Pav is a soft dinner roll. It is not the same as a burger bun as pav is smaller in size and will have a buttery top unlike burger buns which might also have sesame seeds on top. Pav is a form of bread and it is the Marathi word for bread so it is part of the yeasted dough family.

Is pav made of egg?

Traditional pav does not contain egg or egg wash as it is a recipe for Indian cuisine and a lot of the population in India is vegetarian.

Who invented pav in India? What is the history of pav?

While pav is part of the Indian cuisine and culture it is said to have been brought to India by the Portuguese. It was first discovered in the coastal region of Goa as they were known for their high meat consumption and included a variety of baked goods including indulgent ingredients like butter, fruit, potatoes and bread. It was referred to as “pão” aka a yeast leavened dough that was baked until golden on the outside and fluffy on the side, making for the perfect bread accompaniment. This was then introduced to Bombay and today the cubed shaped bread part of an integral piece in India. According to Slurrp, there are quite a few theories behind the origin of its name though. One claims that the pav came as a set of four because, in Marathi, pav means one-fourth or one-quarter. Another theory says that the name pav refers to the way the bread was kneaded with the feet or ‘paon’. But most experts agree that the word pav comes from the Portuguese word for bread – ‘pão’.

However the history of bread making in Bombay goes back to the time when the Portuguese ruled in the 19th century. The economic crisis caused the Goans, Portuguese priests and other officials to leave the city and move out of Bombay fort towards northern areas. The areas were then occupied by converts who were roman catholic by faith. They depended on pav as a daily necessity and while the Goans had the skills to make the bread they couldn’t meet the demands of it. However once the Iranians entered the entire bakery industry in Bombay changed as we knew it. With better equipment and skills they managed to churn out more baked goods matching the quality and reducing costs with the bulk production. It soon became a much loved staple for all across Bombay and now across India.

Is pav and burger bun the same? Is pav and bread same? Why is bread called pav?

What is ladi pav? Why is it called ladi pav? What is the difference between pav and ladi pav?

Ladi means line or block of dough that is stuck together and we have gathered by now pav is bread so ladi pav is basically bread that is stuck together in one line. They can be purchased in lines of 3/6/9/12 etc. this, depends on the bakery selling it.

What ingredients do you need to make easy homemade pav?

All purpose flour/maida, instant yeast, warm water, milk, milk powder, salt, sugar, butter.

What equipment do you need to make easy homemade pav?

To make this bread I have used a mixing bowl and my hands. You can use a dough whisk to mix the ingredients but I wouldn’t say it is needed as I have done it without it. The dough is cut into pieces, shaped and baked in quarter sheet pan that is lined with baking paper in the oven. Wee need a brush to glaze the buns with melted butter once baked.

How to make easy homemade pav?

In a large mixing bowl add the warm milk, water, sugar and instant yeast. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes. Once it has activated (becomes frothy and bubbly) add the flour, salt, milk powder. Using your hands start mixing the ingredients together until combined. It will look like a shaggy mess – kneed for 5 minutes until the dough it soft and not sticky. Add the butter 1 tbsp at a time and knead well. Once incorporated shaped into a ball and transfer to the mixing bowl, cover with cling wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Knock back and punch out the air, remove the dough from the mixing bowl and divide into 12 pieces. Roll into ball and transfer to lined 9×9 inch tray for ladi pav or a 9×13 for regular pav (check notes below). Cover and allow it to rise for 20 minutes of until doubled in size. In this time preheat the oven to 180℃. Brush the buns with 2 tbsp milk and place in the oven. Bake the buns for 20 minutes or until golden on the top and when you knock on the dough it will have a hollow sound. When they come out of the oven, brush the buns with melted butter and allow them to cool in the pan. Enjoy with butter and coffee.

Serving this pav?

You can serve it with my vada pav, onion pakoda, aloo tikki , homemade samosas recipe or you could also serve it with bhaji to make pav bhaji (I got a recipe coming make sure to stay tuned for that). I also Leo bun maska which is basically toasted pav, maska aka butter and a little sugar on top served with coffee. I like to do dip dip and it is my absolute favorite comfort food of all time. Serve it with butter and jam for a quick snack attack situation. Alternatively, serve it with any stew or curry of your choice.

Storing homemade pav?

Once these buns are baked, let them cool down completely before transferring to a large zip lock bag or an air tight container. It keeps well at room temperature for 2 days however if you live in a warm and humid climate I would recommend storing it in the fridge for up to 10 days. When ready to eat warm the bread in the microwave for 20 seconds and serve.

Looking for more bread recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this easy homemade pav recipe, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more fun recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on pinterest & instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.