Tawa Pulao

Method

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1. Break up the cold rice with wet fingers so no lumps remain.

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2. Heat the widest frying pan you have with the oil and half the butter over a high heat.

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3. Fry the cumin seeds for 20 seconds, then the onion for 4 minutes.

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4. Add the ginger and garlic paste and the green chillies and cook 1 minute.

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5. Add the tomatoes and cook 4 minutes, pressing them down, until pulpy.

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6. Add the pav bhaji masala and chilli powder and cook 1 minute.

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7. Add the pepper, carrot and peas and cook 3 minutes, mashing about a third of them into the masala.

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8. Tip in the rice and the salt and toss for 4 minutes, pressing it against the metal and lifting.

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9. Dot the remaining butter over and toss once more.

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10. Scatter the coriander over and serve with lemon wedges.

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Chef’s Tips

• The widest pan you own, on the highest heat.
• Mash a third of the vegetables so the colour spreads.
• Butter twice — some at the start, some at the end.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Pav bhaji
• Cucumber and onion salad
• Masala chaas

Storage & Reheating

Keeps 2 days refrigerated. Reheat in a hot pan, not a microwave.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.