Tawa Pulao (Spicy Pan Fried Vegetable Rice)

Tawa Pulao (Tawa:Pan, Pulao:Fried Rice) is Mumbai street food. This dish was unheard of to me until I started blogging. The recipe can be found in abundance in the blog world as well as this specific food blog. Pao Bhaji masala, as a key ingredient in a rice dish, was something new to me yet seemed to strike a chord. Being a Delhite, I had never had this dish in my life. But from the sounds of it, the dish was tempting both to cook and to eat.

I think this dish is a perfect, wholesome, vegetarian, one-pot dish with all sorts of nutrition packed together. A treat, especially for those fond of rice. Try it for yourself and devour the results.

Serves 8.

Ingredients:
1. Pao Bhaji masala, 8 tsp
2. Kitchen King masala, 4 tsp
3. Garam masala, 3 tsp
4. Onions, 3 (medium size), sliced
5. Potatoes 2, chopped and diced.
6. Bay leaves 3-4
7. A pinch of heeng
8. Oil
9. Carrots, 3, peeled and diced.
10. Peas, 1/2 cup
11. Green beans, 1 -2cup.
12. Lemon juice, to taste
13. Steamed Rice, 4 cups
14. Red chili powder, 1-2 tsp
15. Garlic, 3-4 pods, minced
16. Ginger, 2 inch, minced
17. 1 tomato, chopped

Instructions:
1. Heat a non-stick pan or wok.
2. Add oil and bay leaves
3. In a few minutes, add the minced garlic-ginger and sliced onions.
4. Caramelize on medium high heat.
5. Add in potatoes and mix well.
6. Add kitchen king masala, pao bhaji masala and cook on high heat until the oil starts to leave the potatoes and spice mix.
7. Next add the carrots and cover and cook until the veggies are all dente.
8. Add peas, green beans, tomatoes, lemon juice, red chili powder, and garam masala.
9. Mix well and cover and cook for another 5 mins on low-medium heat.
10. Divide the cooked vegetables into parts and rice into parts (can be done mentally). For each portion of rice, add one portion of the vegetables. Then mix everything together. It will help you get a even mixture of veggies and spices in the rice. (Alternatively, line a layer of rice in a pan then a layer of veggies and alternate until done.)

Serve warm with mint cucumber raita.

Thanks to the bloggers who inspired me to try this recipe!

Vegetable Dumplings/Dimsum (Momos)

Delhi Belle's Momo recipe, got me all nostalgic and missing my school and college days in New Delhi. I remembered those outings to Delhi Haat (a famous handicraft and ethnic food bazaar in New Delhi) with my sister(s) with the sole intent to relish our favorite Steamed Momos (Dimsum) from the Mizorum (a North eastern state) stall. Delhi Haat in those days to us meant Momo and Fruit Beer. Anyone and everyone who would visit us from another city would be abducted to this fun place and then pestered to try our favorite Momo. My subconscious tuned into the Haider Ali 'Purani Jeans' (a Indi pop song about an adult's reminiscence of his college days) song as I went 5-7 years back in time. Gone are those days, but the memories are still fresh and food is a great way to re-live the golden past. I remember how I was always curious about the delicious tomato condiment that came with the Momo. Today, I had the recipe right in front of me. Thanks, Delhi Belle.

I introduced Mr. Husband to this thing during our last trip to India. Since then, he has been asking me where this can be found in North America or if we could get it parceled from New Delhi to us ;-)
I'm sure Delhi Haat is one of the places to go to on his list now when we go to Delhi next!

Verdict: Next time I'll shred the vegetables. 


I miss Delhi! :(

Photo courtesy: Google search.