Chana Pulao Recipe - Spicy Chickpea Pulao

Chana Pulao, a delicious Pulao recipe which you can make for your house parties or everyday meals. Serve it with Tadka Raita, Boondi Raita or any other Raita of your choice.

Swayampurna Mishra

Chana Pulao is an easy one pot meal that is your solution to veggie nights and for days when you want to serve something more than the same old vegetable biriyani. Studded with protein-rich chickpeas, fragrant from the garam masala, this basmati rice pulao/pilaf is easy and quick. Served with any raita of your choice, this is one delicious pot of rice.

Serve Chana Pulao along with Burani Raita, Pomegranate Raita or any raita of your choice and a roasted papad for your everyday meals.

If you like this recipe, you can also try our other Pulao Recipes like

  1. Kashmiri Pulao
  2. Chana Dal Pulao
  3. Vegetable Yakhni Pulao
  4. Spiced Rajma Pulao

 

Cuisine: Indian

Course: Lunch

Diet: Vegetarian

Equipments Used: Preethi Blue Leaf Mixer Grinder, Hard Anodized Pressure Cooker

Prep in 480 M

Cooks in 45 M

Total in 525 M

Makes: 2-3 Servings

Ingredients

  1. 3/4 cup Kabuli Chana (White Chickpeas)
  2. 1 cup Basmati rice
  3. 3 Onion , sliced thinly
  4. 1 Tomato , chopped
  5. 1/2 Red Bell pepper (Capsicum) , chopped
  6. 2 tablespoons Curd (Dahi / Yogurt) , or oil
  7. 2 tablespoons Ghee
  8. 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
  9. 1/4 teaspoon Garam masala powder
  10. pinch Turmeric powder (Haldi)
  11. 2 tablespoons Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
  12. pinch Saffron strands
  13. Dry Fruits , assorted
  14. 4 tablespoons Anardana Powder (Pomegranate Seed Powder)
  15. 1-3/4 cups Water , for pressure cooking rice
  16. Few Mint Leaves (Pudina) , for garnish
  17. Few Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , for garnish
  18. Salt , as required
  19. 2 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds
  20. 2 Mace (Javitri) , a thin strand
  21. 1 Bay leaf (tej patta)
  22. 2-3 Cloves (Laung)
  23. 1 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
  24. 1/2 teaspoon Ajwain (Carom seeds)
  25. 1 Black cardamom (Badi Elaichi)
    26. For paste
  26. 1/2 inch Ginger
  27. 6 cloves Garlic
  28. 1 Green Chilli

Directions for Chana Pulao Recipe - Spicy Chickpea Pulao

  1. To begin making the Chana Pulao Recipe, rinse and soak the chickpeas/chole overnight or for 8 to 9 hours in enough water.

  2. Drain them well and then add to the pressure cooker with the water.

  3. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pressure cook fit till the cooker releases 8-9 whistles or till the chickpeas are tender and cooked well.

  4. Drain the cooked chickpeas/chole and keep them aside. Rinse the rice very well in water till the water runs clear of starch.

  5. Then soak the rice in enough water for 30 mins. Strain and keep it aside.

  6. Make a smooth paste of the ingredients, mentioned under “For paste" including ginger, garlic and green chilliin a grinder with a very little water. Once done, keep this also aside.

  7. Heat oil in a wide pan and add sliced onions. Fry them till they change their colour to golden brown.

  8. Soak saffron in a little lukewarm milk and keep it aside.

  9. The next step is to prepare the biryani. In a pressure cooker heat oil and add all the whole spices which include caraway seeds, cardamoms, mace, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf.

  10. Saute the whole garam masala or whole spices for some seconds till fragrant, and then add sliced onions from 1 onion.

  11. Saute the onions until it turns golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic-chilli paste and saute till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic goes away. Add the chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper and saute for two minutes.

  12. Next, add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Add the kasuri methi and saute the tomatoes for a minute or so and then add the drained cooked chickpeas. Mix well and saute the entire mixture for about 7-10 minutes and let the chickpeas soak in the masala.

  13. Add the basmati rice, curd, half of the fresh herbs, saffron threads soaked in milk and again mix everything well.

  14. Once it is done, add 1.75 cups of water. Season with salt and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Don't open the cooker.

  15. Once the pressure settles down on its own, then open the lid of the cooker and gently mix the rice.

  16. Garnish with coriander leaves and mint leaves, dry fruits and pomegranate arils.

  17. Leave it covered for 15 mins, before opening the foil and fluffing the rice prior to serving.

  18. Serve Chana Pulao along with Burani Raita, Pomegranate Raita or any raita of your choice and a roasted papad for your everyday meals.