Tawa Pulao is a very popular Indian street food of Mumbai. It is a complete meal in a bowl. With the added twist of quinoa it takes the recipe even a notch above with tons of nutritional benefits without compromising the taste. In fact, I personally liked the quinoa version much better than the rice version. Don't believe me? Try it out for yourself. This recipe is a total keeper!
Wash quinoa. Boil it. I used Instant Pot to boil quinoa. You may use IP, pressure cooker, or even a simple pan to do so. Wash quinoa to remove bitterness. Brush a few drops of oil in Instant pot. Add 1 cup washed quinoa and 1 ½ cups of water, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of oil. Close the lid and select the 'Rice' button on IP. It will take 10 minutes to boil, and few additional minutes for the IP to heat as well as to release pressure later.
Heat oil / butter. Generally butter is used for Pav-bhaji, but you may also use avocado / olive oil to make it healthier. Add chopped ginger and garlic. Saute it for a minute. Add chopped onions. Saute until translucent - about 5 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes. Saute it for a few minutes. Add salt to taste. Add Kashmiri red chili powder / deggi mirch, pav-bhaji masala, turmeric powder. Mix well, continue to saute. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water such that the masalas don't burn. Add diced capsicum. After a 3-4 minutes, add the green peas. Saute' until the tomatoes are mushy and the capsicum cooked. This whole process after adding tomatoes will take roughly 10-12 minutes.
Add kasuri methi, cubed tofu / paneer, boiled and diced potatoes, and chopped coriander. Mix. Finally add the boiled quinoa. Drizzle the lemon juice. Fluff it with two forks such that the quinoa mixes well but doesn't become mushy. Turn off the heat after 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot with a side of raita or yogurt, and roasted papad.