Tawa Pulao

I have heard lots and lots about the street foods and chats  that is basically sold on the push cart in Mumbai and the other parts of North. I never had an opportunity to try them until recently. 

During my recent visit to Pune several times I had the opportunity to enjoy the chats and the delicious food   vada pav, tawa pulao, pani puri and what not. Lists are never ending as they have such fancy and eye catching names J

Its not that I have not had earlier such chats but the real taste of having it from the originated place is something different and unique.  Amazing it tasted and I had the urge of having more but truly I was a bit worried with my tummy and hence  relished  every bite of it on a limit .

Since its monsoon, it rains on and off most of the times and truly amazing to have these chats.  By evening  the shops are absolutely crowded to enjoy these chats.

I have seen  on TV once Sanjeev Kapoor  talking about the Tawa pulao as he was making this on that show, I brushed it aside and did not give much importance as it looked for me like a simple puloa and nothing more than that.

The day my tongue had a taste of the tawa pulao, I ensured that I would make this at home and grabbed the recipe to make this. Thanks to Mr Kapoor. 

Sanjeev Kapoor’s Tawa Pulao Recipe

Ingredients:

• Cooked basmati rice – 2 cups
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Crushed garlic – 1 tbsp
• Crushed ginger – 1 tsp
• Red Onion – 1, chopped finely
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder  – ½  tsp
• Thai green chillie – 1, slit in half
• Pav bhaji masala powder – 2 tsp
• Carrots – 2 big, diced into small pieces
• Frozen green peas – 1/2 cup
• Green bell pepper – 1  diced
• Tomatoes – 2, chopped
• Some fresh chopped cilantro, more chopped red onions and juice of ½  lime – for serving

·         Heat the oil in a large pan and add the cumin seeds. Wait till they are aromatic and splutter a little. Add the ginger and garlic, give it a swirl and add the onions to it. Let the onions brown a little.

·         Add the green chillie, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and pav bhaji masala. Saute for a while. Add the tomatoes to this mix. Saute till the tomatoes get cooked. Now add the carrots and bell peppers to it. Sprinkle a little water and close the pan to help cook the carrots. Once they are cooked, add the green peas, salt and the rice and mix well.

·         Sprinkle a little chopped cilantro on top for garnish and serve with more chopped cilantro, chopped onions and slices of lime.

I served this with a simple normal raita made with onions, tomatoes and green chillies and this  goes  very well with the tawa puloa.

Latha