Paneer Tawa Pulao

Tawa pulao is a popular mumbai street food of rice tossed on a tawa or a hot pan with vegetables and pav bhaji masala.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings

2-3 green chilies, roughly chopped , adjust to taste
3 garlic cloves
½ inch ginger
3 tablespoon oil
3 tablespoon butter divided
½ cup paneer cubed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
⅓ cup chopped onion
1.5 cup vegetables (use vegtables that you like, I used blanched carrots & green beans, peas, colorful bell peppers)
5-6 tablespoon tomato sauce or simply blitz 2 small tomatoes in a grinder or use ¼ cup store bought tomato puree
¼ teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon red chili powder (hot) or cayenne, adjust to taste
1.5 tablespoon pav bhaji masala adjust to how strong you like the flavor
1.25 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
2 cup cooked rice cold
cilantro chopped

Using your mortar and pestle, pound together ginger, garlic and green chilies to a paste. Alternatively, you could use roughly chopped green chillies along with ginger garlic paste.
Blanch vegetables like green peas or french beans if needed. Keep all ingredients ready.

In a heavy bottom cast iron skillet or tawa (I use 12 inch), on medium high, heat up 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter.
Carefully, slide the cubed paneer and let brown on one side. Flip the paneer after 2-4 minutes to brown on other side (it will splutter a lot, be careful). Once nicely browned, transfer to a plate (dont drain).
Add the rest of oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the tawa and crackle cumin seeds. Add the green chillies, ginger and garlic paste and saute for 30 seconds.
Add the onions next and cook for 4-5 minutes till onions are lightly browned.
Then, add all the vegetables and sauté them till you see few of them starting to char. On medium high heat it takes about 2-4 mins.
Then add the tomato sauce, red chilli powder & sugar. Cook for another 3-4 minutes untill you see oil starting to seperate but dont saute too much.
Add the cold rice, shallow fried paneer. Sprinkle salt and pavbhaji masala. Stir fry everything on high heat for 3-4 minutes.
Finish with remaining tablespoon of butter and chopped cilantro. Add few cherry tomatoes if you wish. You could also add a little bit of kasuri methi as a finishing herb.

Use cold rice. It is important to always use cold white rice for tawa pulao. You can utilize leftover rice or, if cooking fresh, allow it to cool down completely and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours before using.

Use a wide and heavy tawa. A heavy tawa helps maintain the crispness of the rice grains and prevents them from becoming mushy. Using a wide pan ensures consistent heat distribution and avoids steaming of rice. Avoid non-stick pans as they can alter the texture of the rice.

Prepare Everything - To achieve the desired texture without overcooking, it is essential to have everything ready to go before starting the cooking process. This pulao typically takes about 10-12 minutes from start to finish.

Avoid chopping the vegetables too large and if possible dont use raw vegetables, except for those that cook quickly or can be enjoyed crisp, such as bell peppers or corn. Blanch the carrots and peas (if using fresh) or french beans (if using).

Dont Skimp on oil and butter - To achieve that rich and buttery street-style taste, it's important not to skimp on oil and butter. Feel free to be generous with the fats when preparing the tawa pulao. This will enhance the flavors and add the desired indulgent touch to the dish.

Shallow frying the paneer chunks before adding them to the pulao is optional, or you can use them as they are. It's a good idea to cut the paneer and vegetables into roughly the same size for even cooking.

For an added layer of flavor, you can incorporate kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) into the dish.

If you prefer a vegan version of tawa pulao, use plant-based oil or vegan butter as a substitute. Skip the paneer and focus on the vegetable components instead.

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