Tak-A-Tak Tomato Pulao (Mumbai Style)

Feeling lazy tonight to cook ? Then try this lipsmacking tomato rice !! Ekdum Mumbai Ishtyle !! Bole tho.. Ekdum mast 😀 Yes, This tangy and spicy pulao will remind you of the street food in Mumbai !! Its so very easy and so so tasty, you might end up making it often.. And of course loaded with veggies, a nutritious one too 🙂 Perfect option for your kiddo’s tiffin box or yours 😀 You can use the leftover rice too, hassle free and truly a one to be rustled up when you go blank hunting for dinner or lunch options, Serve it with some cool cucumber raita and enjoy the burst of flavors 🙂

Tomato Pulao

Recipe Original Source : Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Ingredients

• Tomato : 2 large
• Cooked rice : 3 cups (I used the basmati rice)
• Onion : 3 small
• Oil : 2-3 tablespoons
• Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon
• Green capsicum : 1 medium
• Ginger-garlic paste : 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Red chilli paste : 1 teaspoon
• Tomato sauce : 1/2 cup
• Pav bhaji masala : 1 tablespoon
• Carrot,boiled and cut into small cubes : 1 medium
• Green peas boiled : 1/2 cup
• Paneer (cottage cheese) (cubed) : 50 grams (fried slightly)
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
• Fresh coriander leaves chopped : 3 tablespoons

Method

• Heat a deep non-stick pan. Cube the onions and separate the layers. Pour oil into the pan and add cumin seeds. Sauté till they are lightly browned.
• Add the onions and sauté. Dice the capsicum and tomatoes. When the onions turn a light golden brown, add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
• Add red chilli paste, tomato sauce and pav bhaji masala and mix well. Add carrot, green peas, tomato and capsicum and mix, add the fried paneer cubes.
• Mix gently and add salt and 1 cup water. Add lemon juice and mix well. Add coriander leaves and mix. Add the cooked rice and mix gently and let it get heated through. Serve hot.

Pav Bhaji

Pav bhaji is my favvv street food, I can have it all day long 😛 I remember when I was working back in Mangalore, India, Mom used to make it in the evenings, And I used to hog and hog after am back from work !! LOL, good old days, I really miss them. Well, my mom used to make Pav Bhaji from scratch, as my bro doesn’t like instant masala powder. But am quite a lazy one, So I used to Pav Bhaji masala 😛

I came across this recipe in “Veg recipe’s of India” website, I just did a few adjustments according to my taste. But trust me, This recipe is for keeps, Wonderful one and very very delicious !! The spicy bhaji with pav and melted butter is bliss !!!! Ok, I wont tempt you more, Go ahead and try this 🙂

Pav Bhaji

 Ingredients

• 3 medium sizes potatoes, 250 gms
• 1 to 1.25 cups cups chopped cauliflower, 120 to 130 gms cauliflower
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• ¾ to 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen or soaked dried white peas
• ½ (half) cup chopped french beans
• 1 large onion – finely chopped
• 2 to 3 large tomatoes – finely chopped, about 2 to 2.5 cups finely chopped tomatoes, tightly packed
• 1 medium sized capsicum/green bell pepper
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped
• 3 tbsp pav bhaji masala (You may not need all 3 tbsp, check the taste before adding all, I used eastern pav bhaji masala)
• 1 tsp chilly powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp butter + a few blobs for serving
• 1.5 to 2 cups vegetable stock (Use the same that is left after boiling vegetables)
• Salt

Method

Preparing the Bhaji:

• Rinse all the vegetables well.
• Boil all the vegetables except onions, tomatoes and capsicum in a pressure cooker (I took 2 whistles)
• Finely chop the onions, green chilies, tomatoes and capsicum. Keep aside
• Once the vegetables are cooked, Slightly mash them.
• In a pan, add 2 tbsp butter, When the butter melts, add cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the chopped onions.
• Saute the onions till they become translucent. Now add the ginger-garlic paste.
• Saute till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic paste disappears.
• Add chopped green chilies and fry for half a minute.
• Add the tomatoes and fry them till they become soft and mush, till you fat releasing the sides. About 6 to 7 minutes on low to medium flame.
• Add the chopped capsicum. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Now add the red chilly powder, turmeric powder and pav bhaji masala
• Mix the dry masalas well. Fry for a couple of minutes till the capsicum become a little soft.
• Now add the mashed vegetables, Combine the mashed vegetables well with the masala.
• Add water and combine everything well. Season with salt.
• With a potato masher, mash the veggies directly in the pan.
• Keep on stirring occasionally and let the bhaji simmer for 12 to 15 minutes on a low flame. If the bhaji becomes dry and then add some more water. The consistency is neither very thick nor thin.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, Serve hot with fresh pav, add chopped onions and some butter (I used amul) and squeeze a lime to Bhaji while serving.