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Tawa pulao
Griddle rice with peppers
तवा पुलाव: Mumbai's late-night griddle rice of day-old basmati, butter, peppers, tomato and pav bhaji masala
After the pav bhaji crowd thins out at Juhu or Girgaon Chowpatty, the stall owner scrapes the giant iron tawa, drops in a slab of butter and leftover rice, and starts tossing it with the same masala, peppers and tomato. Tawa pulao began as a quick meal for the cooks themselves and became a Mumbai favourite in its own right, eaten late at night and packed into lunchboxes. It's buttery, tangy and spicy, red with Kashmiri chilli and smelling of pav bhaji masala, with peas and capsicum for colour and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with raita, onion rings and papad. The common mistake is using freshly cooked, warm rice; it breaks and goes sticky. Day-old, fridge-cold basmati gives separate grains. Chef's tip: use a wide pan and toss rather than stir, as the stall cooks do with two flat spatulas.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the masala
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 green capsicumfinely chopped
- 2 tomatoesfinely chopped
- 2 ⅛ oz green peasfresh or frozen
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 tsp pav bhaji masala
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
For the rice
- 1 ⅛ lb cooked basmati ricefrom 200 g raw, a day old and cold
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ oz fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 1 ⅜ oz butter and 1 tbsp sunflower oil on a wide tawa or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let it sizzle.
1 minStep 2: Add 1 onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft and translucent, then add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds until the raw smell goes.
4 minStep 3: Add 1 green capsicum and 2 ⅛ oz green peas and toss for 2 minutes; the capsicum should stay bright and crisp.
2 minStep 4: Add 2 tomatoes, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 2 tsp pav bhaji masala, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp salt and mash with the spatula for 3 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the butter turns red.
3 minStep 5: Add 1 ⅛ lb cooked basmati rice, breaking up any lumps, and toss over high heat for 3–4 minutes until every grain is coated and piping hot.
4 minStep 6: Squeeze over 1 tbsp lemon juice, toss in most of the ½ oz fresh coriander and serve hot with the rest on top.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tawa pulao take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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