Wednesday 14 August 2013

Chana Pulao

This is, I would say the choley with rice to make a one pot dish, instead of choley and chapati or poori or bhatura.
This is one pot dish great for quick meal and complete in itself.
Great for packed lunches too with some raita or if you like it my way with curd rice.
This is a very simple pulao, can be made in 15 minutes with 15 minutes of preparation time.
I tried this for saturday afternoon lunch with curd rice and the family just loved it and enjoyed.
Now coming to the recipe,

Ingredients:
Chickpeas or Chana - 1cup(soaked for 6-8 hours),
Basmati Rice - 2 cups(soaked for 15 minutes)
Oil - 1 tablespoon,
Cumin - 2 teaspoon,
Onion - 1 large sliced,
Fresh Ginger and Garlic Paste - 1 teaspoon,
Tomatoes - 3-4 medium.(thinly sliced).

Dry Spice Powders:
Red Chilly Powder -11/ 2 teaspoons,
Coriander Seeds Powder - 2 teaspoons,
Cumin Powder - 1/2 teaspoon,
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon,
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 teaspoon,
Salt.
Kasoori Methi or chopped Coriander - 1 teaspoon.



Method:
Cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with enough water and salt for 5-6 whistles until soft, but not mushy.
In a large pan, heat oil and add cumin.
Once the cumin crackles, add onion.
Fry onion until light brown.
Add Ginger-Garlic paste.
Fry until raw smell evaporates.
Add tomatoes and fry until mushy and oil leaves the sides.
Add all the dry spice powders except garam masala powder.
Fry for 1-2 minutes, until raw smell evaporates.
Add 4 cups of boiling water. I  always add 2 cups of boiling water for 1 cup of rice.
It depends on the quality and maturity of rice.
Add garam masala powder.
Add Kasoori Methi now, if you are adding it.
Completely drain water from rice and add it to the boiling water.
Cover and cook until the rice is completely cooked and fluffy.
Add chopped coriander and mix well and enjoy with some raita

Note:
For fresh ginger garlic paste,  chop  both of them finely and finely paste it in a pestle and mortar or
place the chopped ginger and garlic on a wooden top and roll it from a rolling pin.
Take care while adding salt as we have added salt while cooking chickpeas as well.
Save the chickpeas cooked stock and add to the pulao instead of plain water, so the nutrients stay intact.
If you dont have dry chickpeas or no time to soak, you can use tinned chickpeas as well. cook them only for 3 whistles.

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