Tawa Pulao Recipe

Tawa pulao in a bowl garnished with onion rings and lime wedge.

Flavorful Mumbai street style Tawa Pulao! Chances are you’ve had it at street stalls or restaurants but now is the time to learn how to make it at home. It is super easy to prepare and comes together in just 30 minutes if you have leftover rice handy.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 307kcal

Author Kanan

Ingredients

3 cups Cooked basmati rice {1 cup raw rice gives 3 cups cooked rice}
¾ cup Green peas
¾ cup Carrots chopped into small pieces
3 tablespoons Water
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Oil
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
½ cup Red onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
1 teaspoon Garlic paste or freshly grated
1 Green chili chopped finely or crushed
¾ cup Capsicum (Green bell pepper) chopped
2 medium or 1 ¼ cups Tomatoes chopped finely
¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
½ teaspoon Red chili powder
1 tablespoon Pav bhaji masala
1 teaspoon Lemon juice or Lime juice optional

Instructions

Take diced carrot and peas in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a pinch of salt and a splash of water. Microwave for 4 minutes on high power. Alternatively, steam or boil them.
Heat butter and oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
Add chopped onion and the crushed mixture of ginger, garlic, and green chili. Stir and sauté for 4-5 minutes until onions become soft and translucent or light pink. Ensure the raw smell of ginger-garlic disappears.
Add chopped tomatoes and green bell peppers along with a pinch of salt. Mix and cook until the tomatoes soften and become almost mushy.
Sprinkle in turmeric powder, red chili powder, and pav bhaji masala. Mix well and sauté for a minute to release the spices' aroma.
Add the cooked carrot and peas to the pan. Stir to mix them into the spiced mixture.
Gently add the cooked basmati rice. Carefully fold everything together to coat the rice evenly without breaking the grains.
Drizzle lime juice over the pulao. Mix once more and serve hot.

Video

Notes

If using other veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, corn, or potato, steam or boil them first.
Cold leftover rice works best, but if you're using fresh rice, let it cool down completely to avoid mushiness.
Adjust the salt since your rice might already have salt, and be cautious about adding too much.
Skip the lime or lemon juice if your tomatoes are already sour to keep the balance just right.

Nutrition