Chana Pulao is a fragrant and mildly spiced main course recipe made with chickpeas, basmati rice , spices and herbs.
To make this tasty chickpea pilaf safed chana ( white chickpea) aka Kabuli chana is used. This is an easy to make one pot rice that's tasty , simple and nutritious too with a good plant protein .
Other family favorites from chickpea recipes are Chole masala , Pindi chole , Hummus , Falafal , Chole chat , Chickpea Salad and Usal
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About this recipe
Chickpeas and rice is a very well known classical combination . In India Chole (Chickpea curry ) with steamed rice is favorite among many including me. The creamy texture of boiled chickpeas along with spices , clarified butter, herbs and basmati rice all together in one pot makes this dish.
Serve chana pulao with simple salad and raita to make this a complete meal.
Ingredients , Tips and Variations
Chickpeas or garbanzo beans - are the main ingredient to make this Pilaf recipe. If using dry chickpeas, make sure to soak it overnight or for 8 to 10 hours . Drain off all the water completely give a quick rinse with cold water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles . Alternatively you can also use canned chickpeas. If using canned chickpeas , rinse and drain water and skip initial pressure cooking of chickpeas.
Basmati Rice - Any long grain basmati rice works well in this recipe , It adds lots and loads of flavor. Though you can use any other variety of rice for sure you'll be compromising with taste .
Whole Spices - Use premium quality of spices for more aromatic pulao. Shahi Jeera with cardamom adds more flavor to this recipe .
Vegetables - I use Onions , Tomatoes and Potatoes to make chana pulao . Use of Tomatoes and Potatoes are optional but tang from tomatoes and potatoes with chickpeas are most inviting. So I recommend to use for more taste.
Herbs and Spices - Other ingredients like ginger , garlic, mint , coriander leaves , chili powder , coriander powder and garam masala are used .
Yogurt / Curds - I prefer to add homemade thick curds to make pulao. You can skip if you want it to be Vegan or Dairy free.
Fat - Use Ghee/ clarified butter with any flavorless cooking oil to make pulao. You can skip ghee and use oil to make it Vegan
Facts and Health Benefits of Chickpeas
Apart from taste , Did you know why this legume and cereal combination , Chole - Chawal exists?
Chickpeas contains almost all the 8 amino acids except Histidine and Rice / Roti ( cereals) have Histidine amino acid in it . So when both are combined together , it makes up for a complete protein. Hence its a general practice to eat legumes and cereals in combination for delivery of complete protein.
Chickpeas are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. These characteristics are responsible for most of their health benefits like maintaining good bone health and maintaining blood sugar levels.
Adding chickpeas in regular diet will not only support health and weight management. But also reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases like heart diseases and cancer.
How to make Chana Pulao
Rinse 1 cup of chickpeas and soak overnight or for 8 to 10 hours. Next day drain water completely, rinse in cold water .
In a pressure cooker add soaked chickpeas , ½ teaspoon Salt , 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
Wash Basmati rice couple of times, until water turns clear . Soak for 10 -15 minutes .
Whilst, in pan or cooker add clarified butter and cooking oil.
When its hot enough add all listed whole spices .
Allow spices to release oil and turn fragrant.
Now add in sliced onions, ginger,garlic , green chillies , mint leaves , coriander leaves
and saute until onion turns translucent.
Add turmeric powder , red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala . Mix well and saute for a minute.
Now add in tomatoes and saute until tomatoes turns mushy. Add potatoes, mix along with tomatoes and continue to cook.
By now chickpeas would have cooked completely. Remove from cooker , drain cooked water completely and set aside.
Now add in boiled chickpeas into pressure cooker along with tomatoes and spices . Also add ½ teaspoon of salt and mix well everything.
Add ½ cup of whisked curds and mix well.
Now add soaked rice and give a quick stir . Rice grains gets coated with oil and spices . This steps ensures that rice grains doesn’t turns mushy after cooking.
Now add in 2 cups of boiled chickpeas water ( stock ) into rice.
Add salt to taste , mix well everything , cover pressure cooker lid .
Pressure cook for just 1 whistle. When pressure settles down on its own , remove nozzle and open lid.
Add coriander leaves, fresh lime juice and ghee.
Mix well everything and serve with cucumber carrot raita and some fresh green salad.
Recipe
Chana Pulao | Chickpea Pilaf
Ingredients
To Pressure Cook Chickpeas
- 1 Cup dry chickpeas soaked overnight - will be 2 cups soaked
- 2 Cups water to pressure cook chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon Salt
To make Pulao
- 1.5 tablespoon Clarified Butter / Ghee
- 1.5 tablespoon Cooking Oil - any flavourless oil
- 1 Bay leaf
- 3 strand of Mace
- 1 teaspoon Shahi Jeera
- 2 Green Cardamom Pods
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 1.5" inch Cinnamon Stick
- 3-4 Cloves
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- ½ tablespoon ginger paste or grated
- ½ tablespoon garlic paste or minced
- 2-3 green chillies slit into half - optional
- ¼ cup Coriander leaves
- 4 tablespoon of fresh Mint Leaves
- 1 medium potato - skin peeled and cut into cubes
- ½ Cup Curds
- 1 small Tomato - chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder - mild spice variant
- 1.5 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt or as required
- 1 cup Long grain Basmati rice - about 250 grams
To garnish
- 3 -4 tablespoon of coriander leaves
- ½ tablespoon of fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon of Ghee/ clarified butter
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup of chickpeas and soak overnight or for 8 to 10 hours. Next day drain water completely, rinse in cold water .
- In a pressure cooker add soaked chickpeas , ½ teaspoon Salt , 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
- Wash Basmati rice couple of times, until water turns clear . Soak for 10 -15 minutes .
- Whilst, in pan or cooker add clarified butter and cooking oil. When its hot enough add all listed whole spices . Allow spices to release oil and turn fragrant.
- Now add in sliced onions, ginger,garlic , green chillies , mint leaves , coriander leave and saute intil onion turns translucent.
- Add turmeric powder , red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala . Mix well and saute for a minute.
- Now add in tomatoes and saute until tomatoes turns mushy.
- Add potatoes, mix along with tomatoes and continue to cook.
- By now chickpeas would have cooked completely. Remove from cooker , drain cooked water completely and set aside.
- Add boiled chickpeas into pressure cooker along with tomatoes and spices . Add ½ teaspoon of salt and mix well everything.
- Add ½ cup of whisked curds and mix well.
- Now add soaked rice and give a quick stir . Rice grains gets coated with oil and spices . This steps ensures that rice grains doesn’t turns mushy after cooking.
- Now add in 2 cups of boiled chickpeas water ( stock ) into rice.
- Add salt to taste , mix well everything , cover pressure cooker lid .
- Pressure cook for just 1 whistle. When pressure settles down on its own , remove nozzle and open lid.
- Add coriander leaves, fresh lime juice and ghee.
- Mix well everything and serve with cucumber carrot raita and some fresh green salad.
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