Tawa Pulao

The best day of the week is “Friday”. Throughout the week, I keep waiting for this day coz I get to go out and have loadsa fun…be it movies, catching up with friends, eating out, shopping etc. Unfortunately, yesterday (a Friday) my husband was too busy with work and we cudn’t do much. I was a li’l disappointed . Offlate I have been moody,irritable, li’l stressed out too…boredom totally kills me. Cooking is one of the few things that interest me and completely helps me to relieve my stress.

Cooking is an art. There is something really relaxing about chopping Onions,Baking a cake,enjoying the aromas while cooking etc. At the end of a good meal, I see him smile, licking his fingers and appreciating me ……these l’il things give me immense joy which again helps me reduce my stress. He has really been very understanding and kind.He is a wonderful gift to me and am really grateful.

Now that I couldn’t go out I wanted to make something special, something simple yet different. I asked my husband about his preference and he wanted to have Pulao. When I thought of Pulao, too many things came to my mind…I mean the variety.There are different kinds of Pulao like….Vegetable Pulao,Peas Pulao,Paneer Pudina Pulao,Spinach Pulao,Tofu Pulao,Tomato Pulao etc. As mentioned I wanted to make a different kind of Pulao which is spicy,easy to make and colorful too.

I believe “Pulao” is a word of Persian Origin.In India it is also called as “Pulav”.
After alot of thinking,I made “Tawa Pulao” and served it hot with Raita.We relished it and at the end of the dinner, we felt as though we had a great feast!

Ingredients:-

Basmati Rice – 1 cup ( cooked)
Butter – 1 tsp
For the Masala:
Mixed Vegetable – 2 cups chopped (1” piece) (You may use Carrots,French Beans ,Cauliflower and Peas)
Onion – 1 Large (finely chopped)
Tomato – 2 Large (finely chopped)
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Green Chillies – 6 (either very finely chopped or grinded)
Cumin Seeds/Jeera – 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
Butter – 1 tbsp
Pav Bhaji Masala – 2 tbsp
Lemon Juice – ½ tsp
Cilantro/Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method :-

1.Boil the vegetables in a Kadai till 3/4th done. Don’t over cook because we are going to let it to cook again.
2.Heat butter in a Nonstick Tawa/Kadai,add Cumin seeds,Ginger Garlic Paste and Green Chillies .Saute it for about 10 seconds.
3.Add the chopped Onions and sauté till it turns pink. Now add the tomato and mash it with a spoon (you can also use the Pav Bhaji masher).It should be like a thick gravy.
4.Add Red Chilli powder,Pav Bhaji Masala and sauté it for 2 -3 mins.
5.Add the boiled vegetables and salt. Close the lid and allow it to cook. Do not mash the vegetables.
6.The above is the Masala/Bhaji used for the Pulao, keep it aside.
7.In a large Pan/Tawa, add a tsp of Butter and the Masala . Saute it for few seconds and then add the cooked/boiled rice. Mix well. Ensure that the rice is mixed well. Heat the Tawa Bhaji over high heat and sprinkle lemon juice before serving .Garnish with Coriander leaves.

The Basmati Rice shouldn’t be sticky.The spice level can be increased as per individuals taste. I grinded the green chillies so that I din’t have to pay much attention while eating.Tawa Pulao is also one of the popular street foods in Mumbai.

Pav Bhaji

I was thinking of “Chaats” and my mouth started watering.Ummmmm…gosh!

Mumbai – the city never sleeps….I have fond memories associated with this place.In Bandra (Hill Road to be precise)there is this place called “Elco”…I guess they make the best Paani Puris and Pav Bhajis.I remember being charged Rs 56 ($1.12)for 6 Pani Puris…which is actually expensive as per Indian standards, coz you get Pani Puris for Rs 10 ($0.20)too.Though its expensive, its worth tasting it.The Paani…ie., the liquid was cold…thats how an authentic Pani Puri should be.

The other best thing to try is the “Pav Bhaji”.It is the quintessential street food.
Imagine butter toasted bun along with mashed vegetables with good amount of spices….with alot of flavouring agents….sounds yummy right?????

There are different kind of Pav Bhaji…the one without Onion & garlic is the Jain Pav Bhaji,Sada Pav Bhaji is without butter,Kada Pav Bhaji is without mashing vegetables.This one is the Mumbaiya Pav Bhaji by Sanjeev Kapoor…he comes up lovely recipes.Long back,I had seen this in Television in India …here it is for all…

Ingredients :

Butter – 1 tbsp for the Bhaji and good amount for toasting the Pav
Pav – as required (I dont get Pav here, so I used Hamburger buns)
Onions – finely chopped – 2-3 medium sized
Tomatoes – finely chopped – 3 medium sized
Tomato Puree – 1/2 cup
Ginger Green Chilli Paste – 2 tsp
Peas – 1/4 cup ( I use frozen peas as it is easy to cook)
Capsicum – finely chopped – 1/2 cup
Potato – 1 cup (boiled and mashed)
Cauliflower – 1/4 cup grated
Coriander leaves – for garnishing
Pav Bhaji Masala – 1 3/4 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4tsp
Lemon – 1 (cut into cubes)
Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
Oil – 1tbsp
Salt – As per taste

Masher – An equipment used to mash the veggies (Available in plastic,steel,wood).

Method –

1.Heat a mixture of Oil and butter in a Kadai.Add the chopped Onions and Ginger green chilli paste and saute till the Onions turn pink.
2.Add Tomatoes and cook till you get a gravy consistency.
3.Add Cauliflower and Peas.Let it cook for few minutes and then add the Pav Bhaji Masala,Tomato Puree,Red Chilli Powder & Turmeric Powder.
4.Mix the above well and leave it for a minute or two.Add Potatoes,Capsicum and li’l water (around 1/2 cup) and allow it to cook.Use the masher( this is used to mash veggies)and mash the vegetables.Don’t overdo it.
5.Add salt, add more water if needed.It should end up to a thick gravy.
6.Once done garnish with coriander leaves

For the Pav

Slice the Pav/Hamburger buns horizontaly, apply butter on both the sides and toast it on a Tawa (pan).

Squeeze lemon on the Bhaji and serve it with the Pav and chopped Onions.

I used the Pav Bhaji masala which was readily available at the Indian Stores.Instead of using all the Veggies, few selected ones make alot of difference.Also, instead of Mashing the boiled Potatoes, grating them is definetly better.Ensure you don’t overdo with the masher. The Capsicum is added in the last so that it remains a l’il crunchy.

In Mumbai, to make it spicy l’il bit of Red Chilli Powder is sprinkled inside the Pav and then toasted.Its yummmmmmy!!!!!

Dabeli

Long back, I was in Mumbai on an official visit.At about 1 in the morning,a friend of mine picked up Dabeli’s from the cafeteria…..it looked like Vada Pav to me….I din’t even know what “Dabeli”was.I saw the cafeteria guy make it in front of me and got a hang of the recipe.Jes to check on it, i spoke to my friend’s mom who shared her method. I also found an interesting version of the same in Tarla Dalal’s site….I tried her recipe with a l’il bit of addition and deletion which is mentioned below.

After coming here, I started cooking alot.I guess thats one good time pass too.
All of a sudden, I decided to make this to please my husband:-P.They say “The best way to get into a man’s heart is through his stomach”…and I think I already made my way:-)

Ingredients:-

Dabeli Masala

Jeera – 1/2 tsp
Dhania(coriander seeds)- 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies – 3
Cinnamon – 1 an inch length
Cloves – 1

Roast the above in a dry Kadai and grind it to a fine powder.

Filling

Potato – 1 large (Boiled and mashed )
Dabeli Masala – 1 tbsp
Jeera – 1/2 tsp
Cilantro/Coriander leaves – li’l
Tamarin & Dates chutney (Imly & Khajur chutney)- 1tbsp
Asafoetida -a pinch
Oil – 3 tbsp
Salt – as per the taste

1.Heat oil in a kadai.Add cumin seeds,Asafoetida,Potato & Dabeli Masala.
2.Saute well.Add salt & 1/4th cup water
3.Add the Tamarin & Dates Chutney,mix well and switch of the flame.
4.Add Cilantro/ Coriander leaves too.

Also required –

Hamburger buns/Pavs – 4
Oil/Butter – 2tbsp

Onions – 1 cup finely chopped
Sev – 1 cup
Roasted peanuts – 1/2 cup
Cilantro/Coriander leaves – for garnishing
Pomegranate seeds – 1/4cup
Garlic Chutney – 1 tbsp
Tamarin & Dates chutney (Imly & Khajur chutney) – 2 tbsp

Keep all the above ingredients ready

1. Slice the Pav/hamburger buns into half(Similar to Pav Bhaji’s Pav),apply butter on both sides and toast it on a pan.
2. On the lower half of the Bun/Pav, place one spoon full of the filling,peanuts,Onions,Pomogranate,Tamarin Chutney,garlic chutney,Cilantro/coriander leaves.Close it with the other half Pav/Bun.This would look like a sandwich.
6.Sprinkle Sev on the top and sides.

Hot Dabeli is ready to eat.Its definetly a sweetish dish.I have never found this anywhere else other than Mumbai:-) I am not quite happy with the pic,will change once I take a better one.