Tawa pulao is the popular Mumbai street food which is made from rice and vegetables which are sauteed together with pav bhaji masala and other spices and herbs. It is a spicy recipe which is originated in the streets of Mumbai. As it is a spicy recipe so it served with yogurt which accomplishes best the dish. This recipe consists of a lot of vegetables which makes it healthy. This delicious roadside recipe can be enjoyed at any time as lunch or snack.
How Tawa Pulao Originated?
Tawa pulao is originated in Mumbai at the stalls of pav bhaji and it is becoming a famous and preferred snack in the streets. It is said that once a Pav Bhaji vendor had some of the Bhaji leftovers and mixed some plain boiled rice to make himself a meal at night. He loved the amalgamation so much that he decided to take it further and added some peas and capsicum to the rice and made the recipe in butter. He dished out this to some of his customers who liked it so much that they recommended him to sell it outright. This became popular with other vendors and the Tawa Pulao became an overnight rage.
Why it is called Tawa Pulao? Tawa is a flat concave-shaped pan used in Indian cooking for chapatis, roasting as well as shallow frying. The street vendors use a huge tawa and they make pav bhaji, masala pav, tawa paneer masala, and tawa pulao on the huge tawa. Pav Bhaji was made on a Tawa and initially, rice was added to the masala on the large Tawa itself. Nowadays the Masala for the Pulao is made separately and on order plain boiled rice is mixed into the masala and served as mouthwatering Tawa Pulao.
This recipe is easily made at home you don’t need to worry as you don’t need a huge tawa for the recipe you make it in the kadai. You can make this recipe from leftover rice. It has lots of vegetables which are nutritious you can add vegetables according to your choice as there is no limit that what you can add or not. To make it spicy I have used chili garlic paste which gives the spicy flavor.
Read More : Piquant Lemon Rice
Tawa Pulao Recipe
Ingredients
For Red Chilli Paste
- Whole Kashmiri red chilies (soaked) 6-7
- Garlic cloves 4-5
- Cumin seeds 1 tsp
For Rice
- Basmati rice 1 cup
- Water 2 cups
- Turmeric 1/4 tsp
- Salt 1/2 tsp
- Oil 1 tsp
For Pulao
- Butter 2 tbsp
- Oil 1 tbsp
- Cumin seeds 1 tsp
- Onion 1
- Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
- Red chili paste 1/4 cup
- Cabbage (shredded) 1 cup
- Capsicum (sliced) 1/4 cup
- Tomato (sliced) 1
- Carrot (sliced) 1
- Potato (cut in wedges) 1
- Beans 1/4 cup
- Peas 1/4 cup
- Salt as taste
- Cooked rice 2 cups
- Lime juice 1/2 tbsp
- Pav bhaji masala 1 tbsp
Method
For Red Chili Paste
- Add soaked red chilies, garlic cloves, and cumin seeds to a blender, blend to a smooth paste, and set aside till in use.
For Rice
- Rinse the rice grains till the water runs clear of starch. Soak the rice in enough water for 20-30 minutes.
- Drain and then add the rice to a pot. Pour water in the rice. Add salt and few drops of oil.
- Stir. Cover and cook the rice till the rice grains are cooked well.
For Pulao
- Heat butter and oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and allow to splutter.
- Add the sliced onions and sauté till translucent.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté till fragrant.
- Add the prepared red chili paste, mix well, and cook for a few minutes.
- Add cabbage, mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add green capsicum, tomato, potatoes, and French beans, mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Add salt and mix well. Add the green peas, mix well, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cooked rice and toss well. Add lemon juice, butter, and Pav bhaji masala, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Garnish with sliced tomatoes, coriander leaves, and lemon wedges.
- Serve hot with onion salad and yogurt.
