Chana Pulao is a one-pot, aromatic, and flavor-packed rice recipe prepared using chickpeas (garbanzo), long grain rice like basmati, fresh herbs, and a few spices. Chana Pulav is one of the best recipes for your kid's school lunchbox or office lunch box, or tiffin/snack box too. This rice dish is so tasty that it can be served alone. If you want to have it in a typical south Indian style, then serve it with yogurt dip or raita or salan.
Ingredients1 ½ cups Boiled chickpeas
1 cup Long grain rice like basmati
1 cup Coriander leaves or cilantro
½ cup Mint leaves or Pudina
3 to 5 Green chilies, adjust to taste
6 to 8 Garlic cloves
½ inch Ginger, sliced
2 tablespoon Ghee
Bay leaf or Tej Patta
1 inch Cinnamon stick or Dalchini
2 Cardamom pods or elaichi
2 Cloves or Laung
1 tablespoon Cashews
1 Onion, large sliced
1 Tomato. cut into cubes
2 cups Water
1 teaspoon Salt, adjust to taste
Method- I have soaked 1 cup of dried chickpeas overnight and pressure-cooked them the next day until perfectly cooked through. Cook the chickpeas using any method of your choice, but do soak overnight if you are using dried chickpeas.
- If you are using canned chickpeas or garbanzo, simply wash and drain 1 can of it and use it in the recipe. Skip the above step.
- In a bowl, wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes (soaking the rice is optional).
- In a blender or mixer jar, add cilantro, mint leaves, green chilies, garlic cloves, ginger, little water, and grind to form a smooth paste.
- Heat ghee or butter in a pan or pot. Add garam masala spices that are available in your pantry. I have used bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Add cashews and saute for a few seconds.
- To this, add sliced onion and saute until translucent. Now add the ground paste and cook till the rawness goes off completely. Check out the video here on making of pulao
- Add the tomatoes and saute for two more minutes.
- Now add the soaked rice, cooked chickpeas, salt, 2 cups of water, and bring it to a boil. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until rice is cooked through thoroughly.
- Switch off the flame. Leave it undisturbed for 10 minutes. Then slowly toss and fluff the rice. This rice is so flavorful all by itself
- You can also serve it with yogurt dip or raita if desired.