Tawa Pulao

Spicy rice loaded with veggies and flavors, Mumbai's another popular street food.. Tawa Pulao. If you are a Mumbaikar or have been to Mumbai then you know how much it is relished there. It is called Tawa Pulao as it is made on the Tawa or big griddle on which bhaji (Pav Bhaji) is prepared. I had my first taste of this spicy treat years back when I was a teenager and visited Mumbai for the first time. We had gone to Mumbai's famous beach Juhu Beach and there you can find endless stalls serving Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav and Tawa Pulao along with other Chaat(snack) items or fast food items as these are popularly known there. Since we had heard so much about Pav Bhaji and Vada Pav that we were eager to taste these and we relished too but what came as surprise to us was this Tawa Pulao, a spicy treat full of flavors. That day I discovered two of my favorite dishes at Mumbai's beach.. Pav Bhaji and Tawa Pulao!! The overcrowded beach, the noise of the waves and the spicy treat of Pav Bhaji and Tawa Pulao is my first memory of Mumbai and of course Kala Khatta who can forget that!! After the spicy treat, we had something similar to Ice-Cone known as Kala Khatta Gola.. a sweet and tangy shave ice cone!!?? .. While I am writing this, how much I want to go back there and have a taste of that famous street food!!

Coming back to Tawa Pulao the ingredients that make Tawa Pulao special are Butter and Pav Bhaji Masala. So whenever you make Tawa Pulao don't forget to add a generous amount of butter and Pav Bhaji Masala. Again this recipe I learned by watching the Pav Bhaji vendors while they made Pulao and Pav Bhaji. Pav Bhaji Masala as I have mentioned in my Pav Bhaji post also, is a blend of Indian spices, available in Indian grocery stores, outside India. For tawa pulao, we need steamed rice, choice of veggies, butter and Pav bhaji masala. I don't have any big Tawa so I make it in a pan, you can also make in a big pan or kadhai if you don't have tawa. Tawa Pulao is one of the best ways to use leftover rice. My teenager loves spicy food loves this and many times I pack this for her lunch. My 7 year old can't have spicy food, so I make less spicy rice for him then I add more masala to the rest of Pulao. It is also an easy dish to prepare when guests are coming or for a gathering like potlucks. The best accomplishment with Tawa rice is any yogurt preparation like Raita. I serve it with boondi and pomegranate raita(soon will update the recipe). Let's see how I make this spicy treat.

Tawa Pulao

Swati

A spicy treat of cooked rice with veggies in butter and Pav Bhaji masala. Mumbai's another favourite street food after Pav Bhaji and Vada Pav. Wholesome and delicious Learn how to make Mumbai's famous Tawa Pulao 

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Main Course, Rice Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 Cups Cooked(Steamed Rice)
• 1 no. Onion Finely chopped
• 2-3 no. Tomatoes Pureed
• 1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic-Green Chilli Paste
• 1 Carrot Finely chopped
• 1/2 Capsicum Finely Chopped
• 1/2 Cup Peas
• 1/4 Cup Sweet Corn
• 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1-2 Tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala
• 2-3 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Tsp Oil

Instructions

 

• In a wide pan/kadhai/tawa heat, heat oil  and 1 Tbsp of butter, add cumin seeds, when the seeds crackle add the ginger-garlic and green chilli paste. Saute for a minute till the raw smell garlic goes away.
• Add onions and saute till these start turning light brown. Add finely chopped capsicum and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add veggies and saute for 1-2 minutes.
• Add tomato puree. Add pav bhaji masala and 2-3 tbsp water, mix. We want the crunch in the veggies so don't cook for too long. 
• Add cooked rice, mix well but gently. Add a generous dollop of butter and green capsicum if you want more crunch(optional), cook tawa rice in butter for 2-3 minutes.
• Before serving squeeze some lemon and have it any raita of your choice.

Notes

• You can french beans, cauliflower or boiled potatoes. Peas, beans can be boiled for a while in the water, before adding to the pulao. I have used frozen peas and corn, so I kept these in warm water for a while and then added directly.
• If are making steamed rice for pulao, keep cooked the rice in the refrigerator once it cools down, this will prevent sticking of rice grains. Don't overcook the rice, take off from the flame when it is just done. The grains should not be very soft but little grainy when pressed between index finger and thumb.
• You can add chopped tomatoes instead of tomato puree. Add tomatoes after onion and capsicum and add other veggies after the tomatoes are soft and cooked.
• Butter adds on to the flavor of Tawa Pulao, you can avoid it if following a low-fat diet or are vegan.
• Tawa Pulao is gluten-free and can be consumed by those who have gluten allergies.

Keyword Rice Dish, Tawa Pulao, Mumbai's Food

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I am taking this spicy treat to #FoodieMonday Blog Hop Potluck Party. Yes, our group where every week a theme is decided by a fellow blogger and we all make our dishes as per the theme. The theme for this week is #PotluckRecipes as suggested by fellow food blogger Preethi of Preethi’s Cuisine.

Taking my Spicy Rice dish to Angie's #253 Fiesta Friday co-hosted this week by Liz @ Spades, Spatulas, and Spoons and Mila @ Milkandbun.

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