Step 1

We start by making the chili-garlic paste first. Take a bowl and add whole dried Kashmiri red chilies to it and then pour hot boiling water over it. Let it soak for around 30 minutes while you can work on the rice and prep the veggies.

Step 2

Meanwhile, rinse the basmati rice in a bowl until water turns clear and then soak it in 3 cups of water for around 15 to 20 minutes. Then drain the water in which the rice was soaked using a strainer. Bring a pot of water to boil on medium-high heat. Add few drops of oil to it. Once it comes to a boil, add the soaked and drained rice to it.

Step 3

Cook the rice until it's cooked but remember to not overcook it. This took around 10 minutes with sella basmati rice but can take less or more amount of time depending on the quality of rice being used. Just remember to not overcook the rice, you don't mushy rice for this recipe.

Step 4

Once the rice is cooked, drain it using a strainer. Let it cool for few minutes and then fluff using a fork. Let the rice cool down before you use it in the pulao. Your rice is now done. Now let's make the chili-garlic paste.

Step 5

Now, drain the water in which the chilies were soaking. The chilies will be soft by now, cut them open and remove the seeds. Then add the de-seeded chilies to a blender along with 5 to 6 large garlic cloves and some water (probably around 2-3 tablespoons). Pulse everything until you have a thick chili-garlic paste. Set this aside.

Step 6

Now, take your pan or a large tawa if you have one and start making the pulao. Add 2 tablespoons butter to it along with 1 tablespoon oil. Let the butter melt and then add cumin seeds to it. Once the seeds sizzle, then add the sliced onions to it.

Step 7

Set heat to medium-high, and cook the onions for 2 minutes until they are translucent. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.

Step 8

Then add the prepared chili-garlic paste. You can add the entire paste if you like (it will make the pulao very spicy) but I added 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of it only. Cook the paste for 1 minute.

Step 9

Now, add all the vegetables- sliced green pepper, sliced cabbage, tomatoes, boiled green peas and boiled and cubed potatoes. Stir and cook the veggies for 2 minutes on medium-high heat.

Step 10

Then add the turmeric, pav bhaji masala and salt to taste. You can add more pav bhaji masala as needed. At this point, add a little water, around 2 tablespoons so that the spices don't burn and cook them along with the vegetables for around 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 11

Now add the prepared rice (this will be around 3 cups of cooked rice) and mix the rice with the vegetables and spices until it is all nicely combined.

Step 12

Garnish with crushed kasuri methi and chopped cilantro. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and serve tawa pulao with a cooling raita. You can also add some butter on top before serving, will add more flavor to the pulao!