Tawa Pulao is popular Mumbai street food made of rice and vegetables cooked in spicy pav bhaji masala. It is a quick, complete, and flavorful meal served with raita. Vegetarian and gluten-free.
In a pan, heat butter and once melted add the cumin seeds, allow them to splutter, and then add the onions and saute for a minute or two.
Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and mix well. Cook till onion are translucent.
Add the tomatoes followed by salt and pepper. Mix well, cover and cook till the tomatoes are soft and juicy. Stir intermittently.
To this add the red and green bell pepper and cook for a min. These taste best when they still have some crunch so don't cook them fully.
Stir in the spices - Pav bhaji masala and red chili powder. Give it a good mix and cook for another minute for the masala to cook.
Add the boiled veggies like green peas, corn, carrot, and beans. Mix well and cook for a minute allowing these veggies to soak the masala.
Stir in the cooked rice. Mix well so that everything gets well incorporated.
Finally, add the lemon juice and coriander leaves and give it a final stir.
Delicious spicy veg Tawa Pulao is ready! Serve warm with some chilled Onion Raita.
Notes
Leftover rice works best for this recipe. If making fresh rice, cool it slightly and then add to prevent it from breaking.
Use veggies of choice. Cauliflower florets and boiled potatoes work great in addition to the veggies mentioned.
Along with pav bhaji masala, I prefer Kashmiri red chilli powder as it gives good color and is not that spicy. But regular red chili powder can also be used.
Instead of white rice, brown rice can be used.
To Boil veggies: Add veggies, water, and some salt in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave or 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are ¾th cooked. Drain the liquid. This can also be done on the stovetop.