Tawa Biriyani

If you go to any Pav Bhaji shop, the main item is obviously Pav bhaji.

But sometimes the chef can provide you with a special item made with the same Bhaji - tawa biriyani.

The chef would not mash up the vegetables like he mashes them to make bhaji for the pav bhaji, so you are left with chunks of spicy vegetables.

This masala is mixed with the rice and fried again on the Tawa and served 'garama-garam' with cool raitha. 

And whatever butter had to be added to the bread, is added liberally to the rice.

Ooh! The amalgamation of spices and butter with rice....Heavenly!!

Ingredients:

For the rice:

Left over rice - 3 cups

(or)

Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cups

Pepper corn - 4

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch

Bay leaf -1

Mace - 1

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Mint leaf - 1 tsp 

For the Bhaji:

Onion - 1 cup , chopped fine

Ginger garlic paste - 2 (heaped) tsp

Green chilly paste - 1 tsp

Tomato - 3 large, chopped fine

Potato - 2 medium , cut into small cubes

Carrot - 2 medium , cut into small cubes

Green peas - 1/2 cup

Beans - 6 , cut in 1/2 inch lenght

Capsicum - 1/2 cup , cut into small cubes

Salt 

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Chilly powder - 2 tsp (more or less according to your taste)

Vegetable masala + Garam masala - 2 tsp + 1/2 tsp 

(or) Pav Bhaji Masala - 2 1/2 tsp

Ghee - 2 heaped Tbsp + Oil - 1 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Butter - 2 tbsp or more

Garnish :

Coriander leaf

Mint Leaf

Method:

Boil ample water in a vessel with the salt and various mentioned whole spices, lime juice and mint leaf.

Cook the rice until just done.

Drain and keep aside.

Boil the potato and carrot till half done in just enough salted water.

Then add in the beans and peas.

Cook till nearly done. The rest of the cooking will be done in the gravy.

Heat the ghee + oil in a kadai and splutter the jeera.

Then add the onion. When it turns golden brown add the ginger garlic green chilly paste.

Once the raw smell goes, add the salt (careful as you have added to rice and boiled vegetables), turmeric powder , chilli powder and the masala powder.

After 1 minute, add the chopped tomato and cook covered on a low flame, stirring often, till the tomato gets mashed up and oil starts to come out.

Add the boiled vegetables with the water and also the capsicum.

Cook covered on low flame for 5 minutes till the vegetables get cooked.

Then open and cook till the curry starts to nearly dry. (very less gravy)

Take out all the spices from the drained rice and add in the butter and the curry.

Keep this on the stove top and mix well, but be careful not break the rice. Once it is heated through, the biriyani is ready.

Garnish with the coriander and mint leaves.

Serve with Raitha and pappad / chips.