When you wish to cook something in a jiffy and got no time for elaborate lunches and dinners and yes you also wish to eat rice. Think nothing but Tawa Pulao. This is a tried and tested formula at my home. Really works! And also making it saves a lot of your time. Plus it is a bonus, if by any chance you already had your (required) veggies chopped beforehand a day ago or in the morning. You are going to be done in no time. Tawa Pulao is an easy rice recipe that is mostly seen at the street food thelas of Mumbai. I lived in Pune for about 6-7 Years, so frequenting the famous street foods joints there was a routine. One such food joint that I simply loved visiting was the ‘Supreme Corner’ located on the J.M Road and Cannon Road branches. The taste of the Pav Bhaji and Tawa Pulao there was simply divine and it still lingers on my mind.

‘Tawa Pulao’ as the name goes, is cooked on a flat tawa or skillet (Concave shaped). Street food vendors or thelawallahs use such huge tawa to cook Pav Bhaji, and Tawa Pulao, but for cooking at home you may use a normal kadai or a shallow pan. Left over rice can also be used to make Tawa Pulao ,which tastes better than the Tawa Pulao made out of freshly steamed rice (I personally feel so).Pav Bhaji Masala is the USP of this dish, and I feel making it on the Tawa enhances the flavour of the rice. I prefer making it medium-spicy as eating it a little bland will serve no purpose of this dish. You may adjust the quantity of spice as per your taste buds. Check out my recipe for Tawa Pulao.

RECIPE

Preparation Time: 40 Minutes

Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour

Serves – 4

Ingredients: 

  •   Rice- Basmati or long grained rice – 2 cups
  •   Water – 4 cups
  • Butter – 2-3 tbsp or Oil ( or use may half-half of both)
  • Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Onion- 1 Medium, finely chopped
  • Capsicum – 1 Medium, finely chopped
  • Potato -1 Medium, chopped
  • French Beans – 8-10, chopped
  • Carrot -1 small, chopped
  • Tomatoes – 2 large, chopped
  • Green peas – fresh/frozen -1/2 cup
  • Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 inch garlic + 3-4 garlic cloves
  • Red chilli powder/Lal Mirch Powder – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder/Haldi – 1/4 tsp
  • Pav Bhaji Masala – 2-3 tsp
  • Salt as required
  • Lemon Juice – as required
  • Chopped fresh Coriander leaves

Method:

  • Firstly, get the Basmati rice cooked into a pressure cooker or in boiling pot. The rice should be cooked well and the grains should be separate. Add a pinch of salt and little oil while cooking the rice. Get the rice done and keep it aside.
  • Boil the chopped vegetables – Carrot, French beans, Potato and Green Peas. Do not over boil them. Boil them and keep it aside.
  • On a medium tawa or in a Kadai melt 3 tbsp of butter ( I used Amul Butter). Add ½ tsp of Jeera in it and sauté till they get browned.
  • Add finely chopped onions, sauté it until they turn translucent.
  • Add Ginger-Garlic paste into it, sauté till their raw aroma goes away.
  • Add chopped Capsicum and Tomatoes into it, then add turmeric powder/haldi, add 2-3 tsp of Pav Bhaji masala, (Everest Pav Bhaji Masala) and Red chilli powder. Stir and Sauté for 7-8 minutes on a low flame until the butter starts leaving the sides of the tawa or kadai.
  • Now add all the boiled veggies that are already boiled and kept ready and add salt as required.
  • Add the cooked rice to the tawa and give it a gentle and uniform mix.
  • Drizzle a few drops of lemon juice over it and add freshly chopped coriander over it.
  • Add grated cheese over it, in case if you like cheese or you may skip it.
  • Tawa Pulao goes best with onion-tomato-cucumber raita, plain Yogurt, Mango pickle and Roasted Papad. You can serve it with any of these accompaniments.

Note: If you wish you may also add other vegetables of your choice.

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