Mumbai Chi Tawa Pulao

 

Ingredients:

For Red Chili Paste
Soaked 7-8 Kashmiri red chili- Soak for approximately 30 minutes.
For chili, just get the one which provides more flavor and color & comparatively less spicy.
10-12 Big Garlic cloves.

Garlic Water
1 tbsp of minced garlic in few tbspn water.

For Tawa Pulao
1 Large Onion
4 Medium sized tomato
2 Medium sized bell pepper
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 peeled & diced potato
1 peeled & diced carrot
1/2 cup green peas
2 Tbspn Pav Bhaji Masala ( Try to get this from India Maharashtra/Mumbai local or Everest Brand)
1/2 tspn Kashmiri Red chili powder
4 Tbspn Butter
2 Tbpsn Oil
1/2 tspn jeera
3 cups Basmati Rice

 

Method:

• Soak the rice for 20 mins. Bring water to boil, add 1 tbspn oil and add the rice. Cook it and cautiously cook until 90% done. 

• Blend soaked red chilies, garlic cloves and set aside.

• Add 1 tbspn minced garlic to few tbspn water and bring it to boil, drain the water and keep it aside, we will use the garlic water later.

• Heat butter and oil in a pan. 

• Blend soaked red chilies, garlic cloves and keep it aside.

• Heat butter and oil in a pan.

• Sauté cumin seeds, chopped onions, minced garlic for a minute or two.

• Add chopped tomato, red chili powder, all other vegetables and let it cook for few mins in low flame.

• Add pav bhaji masala, chili garlic paste and let it cook for few more minute till the vegetables are cooked.

• Now add cooked rice, garlic water, salt and toss well. 

• Enjoy it while its hot with raita.

Notes:

*An alternative to the chili paste is a store bought chili garlic sauce
*The rice can also be made in a rice cooker. 

 

                                                                            

Healthy recipe- Spinach pesto pasta

Pesto is a very versatile sauce that can be used as a sauce for breads, sandwiches, pastas and whatever else you desire!!! This recipe even convinced my kids to eat spinach because of how delicious it was! All of its ingredients are healthy, and they are readily available in stores and in your pantry. 

Ingredients needed for the Pesto

3 cups of Spinach- I used baby spinach

A squeeze of Lemon- To taste

Salt-To taste

Black Pepper- To taste

1/3 cup of Walnuts- You can toast it lightly if you want

1/2 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup of Olive Oil

2-3 cloves of Garlic

Optional- Dried Basil  

How to make it

 1) Use a food processor and put the garlic, walnuts, parmigiano cheese, black pepper and salt 

 2) Add the Spinach and lemon and slowly drizzle in half cup of olive oil blend it until you have reached the desired consistency of chunky or smooth

 

Combine it with the Pasta

1) Boil 454 grams of desired pasta and cook it according to the instructions given on the package- (I used Whole Wheat, but the normal variety is good to)

2) Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta

3) Add the pesto to the cooked pasta and use some of the pasta water to get the desired consistency

Notes

*If you want to use a blender instead follow the instructions above but add cooled pasta water to the blender to make the blending process more efficient

*I love adding red chili flakes to it on top

*Because you salt the water, make sure you keep that in mind as you salt the pesto

* Experiment!!! You can substitute and mix and match different greens like basil and Arugula and more. Almonds and pine nuts are also popular choices