Tawa Pulao

Originally tawa pulao, is a famous street food from Maharashtra. But now it has made its way to various cities all over India.
In Lucknow, on the Shahnajaf road, just opposite to St. Francis school, there is this thela  (Street Hawker) who serves this awesome pav bahj, tawa pulao and bhel puri. Whenever i am in Lucknow I definitely go to his stall to have this sumptuous pulao and pav bhaji. So one day I just happened to stand next to his stall and see how does he makes it. So I am posting the original recipe of this tawa pulao straight from the thela.

Tawa Pulao

Ingredients:
1 cup Long-grained Rice (I used Basmati)
2 medium sized onion (julienned)
3 medium-sized tomatoes (diced)
1/2 cup Carrot (diced)
1/2 cup Green Peas (boiled)
1/2 cup Green Capsicum (diced)
2 Green Chilies
3-4 cloves of Garlic
1 smal piece of ginger
Fresh Coriander
2tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala
1tbsp Red Chilly Powder
Salt to taste
3tbsp Butter or ghee or oil. (butter is preferred)
1tsp Cumin seeds
1 pinch of Asafoetida
Lime juice

Procedure:
For the Rice:

• Soak rice for 1 hour before cooking.
• After 1 hour boil the rice in 3 cups of water with 1tsp ghee and salt.
• Cook for 10 minutes. Do not over cook.
• Drain the rice. Keep it aside.

For the Masala:

• Heat butter in a skillet, add in asafoetida. when it leaves smell add in cumin seeds.
• When it stops to clutter, add in ginger + garlic+ green chillies.
• Now add in the onions.
• Let it cook till it turns pink.
• Now add in chopped tomatoes and carrots.
• Add in little salt. (dont add much as you have already added it at the time of cooking rice)
• Close the lid and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes till the tomatoes and carrot gets tender.
• Now add in green peas. If required add little water. and again close the lid.
• After 5 minutes add in capsicum.
• Take a potato masher and mash these vegetables just little bit. (little just 2-3 times)
• Add in pav bhaji masala + red chilly powder + coriander leaves + lime juice.
• Mix well.
• Now add in the cooked rice. Mix well.
• Taste little bit to check the seasonings.
• If required add more.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve hot.

Plating of the dish:

• To give a true rustic look i used a paper plate.
• You can use any white plate to serve.
• To serve, take a bowl fill it up with rice. press.
• Invert it on the plate so that the rice comes out in a doom shape.
• Garnish with chopped onions + lime wedges.
• You can serve it  with left bhaji. it tastes great.
• You can even add more butter on top of it.