Tawa Pulao is a tasty Indian rice dish that combines fragrant basmati rice with a mix of colourful veggies and aromatic spices. Cooked on a flat griddle called a ‘tawa,’ it gets its unique flavour, often featuring the iconic Mumbai street style touch with pav bhaji masala. It’s a quick, flavorful, and versatile dish, perfect for a delicious and satisfying meal.
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- Mumbai Style Tawa Pulao
- Difference between Mumbai Style Tawa Pulao and Regular Vegetable Pulao
- Why you will love this Tawa Pulao Recipe?
- How to make Tawa Pulao Recipe
- Tips & Variations to make the best Veg Tawa Pulao
- Serving Suggestions
- Frequently asked questions
- Other recipes you may like
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Mumbai Style Tawa Pulao
Tawa Pulao is a delicious Indian rice dish from the streets of Mumbai. It involves cooking fragrant basmati rice with an assortment of mixed vegetables and a blend of aromatic spices on a flat iron griddle, known as a ‘tawa,’ resulting in a flavorful and smoky culinary experience.
Mumbai-style Tawa Pulav is a vibrant street food sensation where the magic happens on a sizzling tawa, as skilled vendors expertly toss basmati rice and colourful vegetables, infusing the dish with a unique blend of spices, loads of butter and the iconic pav bhaji masala, creating a tangy, irresistible flavour that captures the essence of Mumbai’s bustling street food culture.
Mumbai Tawa Pulao is not just a dish; it’s an experience that transports you to the vibrant streets of Mumbai with every flavorful bite. Its unique blend of spices, quick preparation, and street food charm make it a favourite among food enthusiasts worldwide.
Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a novice in the kitchen, trying your hand at Mumbai Tawa Pulao is a delightful journey into the heart of Mumbai’s culinary culture. So, grab your ingredients, fire up the stove, and let the aroma of the best Tawa Pulao fill your kitchen with the essence of Mumbai’s popular street food.
Difference between Mumbai Style Tawa Pulao and Regular Vegetable Pulao
While Tawa Pulao and Veg Pulao share the common base of rice and vegetables, notable differences make Tawa Pulav a unique recipe. The primary distinction lies in the preparation method and spice blend. Tawa Pulao is cooked on a flat griddle, allowing for a quick and high-heat preparation that imparts a smoky flavour to the dish.
The special Tawa Pulao spice mix, often including pav bhaji masala, elevates the taste to a new level, making this easy recipe more tangy and spicy than the milder Veg Pulao. Because of the addition of pav bhaji masala, this pulao can also be called pav bhaji pulao.
Why you will love this Tawa Pulao Recipe?
Flavour Explosion: The combination of spices, herbs, and the smoky essence from the tawa creates a flavour explosion that is hard to resist.
Customizable Delight: Whether you’re a spice lover or prefer a milder taste, Tawa Pulao is highly customizable. Adjust the spice levels, add your favourite vegetables, or experiment with different spices to suit your taste preferences.
Impressive Yet Effortless: Serve Mumbai Style Tawa Pulao to guests. Its impressive flavours and vibrant presentation give the impression of a gourmet dish while it’s a breeze to prepare.
Quick and Satisfying: This homemade Tawa Pulao recipe offers a quick and satisfying meal that doesn’t compromise taste. This Indian Street food is also a great option for a lunch box.
How to make Tawa Pulao Recipe
Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly and soak it in enough water for 20 minutes. Drain the soaked water using a strainer. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil on medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to it. Once the water comes to a boil, add the soaked and drained long-grain rice to it.
Cook the rice until it’s fully done. This may take around 8 to 10 minutes. Make sure you don’t overcook the rice.
Once the long grain rice is cooked, drain it using a strainer. Spread the cooked rice on a wide plate, let it cool to room temperature, and then fluff using a fork.
Alternatively, you can cook the basmati rice in stovetop pressure cooker or the Instant Pot.
Boil one potato, peel the skin and cube the potato. Make sure the potato is not mushy or overcooked.
Heat butter and oil in a pan. Once hot, add cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add chopped onions and sauté until it turns soft. Add ginger garlic paste. Cook until the raw smell goes away.
Add chopped carrots, frozen / boiled green peas, and chopped green bell peppers to the pan, add a little water, close and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, pav bhaji masala powder, and salt. Give a good mix and saute on low heat for 2 minutes.
Add chopped tomato and saute till it turns soft. Next, add the boiled and cubed potato. Gently mix. Cook for a minute.
Add the cooked rice to the pan and gently fold it into the vegetable and spice mixture. Ensure that the rice is well-coated with the flavours. Adjust salt if needed.
Sprinkle finely chopped coriander leaves on top for freshness. Add a dollop of butter and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Gently mix. Delicious Tawa Pulao is ready to be served hot.
Tips & Variations to make the best Veg Tawa Pulao
Use Long Grain Basmati rice for the best results. I have used Golden Sella Basmati Rice in this recipe.
Make sure not to overcook the rice. The grains should be separated and not mushy for this tawa pulao recipe. If cooking in a pressure cooker, take care of the cooking time and water ratio.
Rice should be completely cooled down while making this Street Style Tawa Pulao recipe.
You can steam cook the vegetables in advance and add them to the pulao. It makes the job easier.
Use good quality pav bhaji masala for this recipe. The rich flavors of the pav bhaji masala are the essence of this rice pilaf. Homemade pav bhaji masala or store-bought can be used.
Serving Suggestions
Mumbai Tawa Pulao is a complete meal on its own, but you can enhance the experience by serving it with:
Yogurt or Raita: A cooling yogurt-based side dish complements the spiciness of
Tawa Pulao. Onion Raita, Cucumber Raita, Okra Raita and Roasted Eggplant Raita can be served with Tawa Pulao.
Papad: Crispy papad adds a delightful crunch to this delicious Pulao.
Pickles: Tangy pickles can provide an extra kick of flavour.
Frequently asked questions
If you don’t have a tawa (flat griddle), worry not! You can still enjoy the flavours of Tawa Pulao using a regular pan or skillet. Opt for a wide, shallow pan or skillet with a flat bottom. This will allow the rice and vegetables to cook evenly.
You can cook the rice in an Instant Pot or a regular stovetop pressure cooker.
This recipe is a great way to use leftover rice, and I highly recommend it. Fresh, hot rice tends to break when stirred with other ingredients. Cold / Leftover Rice retains its shape better.
Cabbage, green beans and cauliflower can be added to Tawa Pulao. Paneer can also be added to this easy tawa pulao recipe.
I have used regular butter in this recipe, which is not vegan-friendly. To make this tawa pulao recipe vegan, use oil instead of butter or vegan butter if available.
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Tawa Pulao Recipe | Mumbai Street Style Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- Water as needed
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 medium Onion
- 2 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 medium Tomato
- 1 medium Potato
- ½ cup Carrot chopped
- ¼ cup Green Peas Frozen or fresh & boiled
- ½ cup Green Bell Pepper chopped
- 1 teaspoon Pav Bhaji Masala Powder
- ½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- Salt as needed
- 2 tablespoon Coriander Leaves finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
Instructions
Cook the rice
- Add 3 cups of water to a pot and let it boil on medium-high heat. Add a few drops of oil to it. Once the water comes to a boil, add the soaked and drained long-grain basmati rice to it.
- Cook the rice until it's fully done. This may take around 8 to 10 minutes. Make sure you don't overcook the rice.
- Once the long grain, basmati rice is cooked, drain it using a strainer. Let it completely cool to room temperature, and then fluff using a fork.
- Alternatively, you can cook the rice in a stovetop pressure cooker. For 1 cup of rice, add 2 cups of water and cook for 3 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. If using an Instant Pot, pressure cook for 5 minutes and release the pressure naturally.
- Spread the cooker rice on a wide plate and let it cool down completely.
Prepare the Tawa Pulao
- Boil one potato, peel the skin and cube the potato. Make sure the potato is not mushy or too cooked.
- Heat butter and oil in a pan. Once hot, add cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add chopped onions and sauté until it turns soft. Add ginger garlic paste. Cook until the raw smell goes away.
- Add chopped carrots, frozen / boiled green peas, and chopped green bell peppers to the pan. Add 2 tablespoon water, close and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, pav bhaji masala powder, and salt. Give a good mix and saute on low heat for 2 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes and saute till they turn soft. Next, add the boiled and cubed potato. Gently mix. Make sure you don't break the potatoes. Cook for a minute.
- Add the cooked rice to the pan and gently fold it into the vegetable and spice mixture. Ensure that the rice is well-coated with the flavours. Adjust salt if needed.
- Sprinkle finely chopped coriander leaves on top for freshness. Add a dollop of butter and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Gently mix. Delicious Tawa Pulao is ready to be served hot.
Such a yummy recipe! Came out so well