CHANA PULAO

Chana pulao:

                  Chana pulao, is a perfect lunch box recipe, that it takes 20 to 25 mins to cook and moreover it is a one pot dish flavoured with lots of spices, so we don't need any curry or gravy and its a healthy pulao too.

chana pulao

                             It is very similar to regular pulaos but it is healthy with high protein content. So, here is the preparation, give it a try for yourself..

Ingredients:

• Chana - 1 cup ( soaked overnight)
• Basmati rice/sona masoori rice - 1 cup
• Carrot- 2 medium sized chopped 
• Potato - 1 medium sized chopped 
• Onion - 1 medium sized finely chopped
• Green chillies - 4 to 5 sliced 
• Dry green peas- 1/4 cup ( soaked overnight) optional
• Cloves- 4 to 5
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Cardamom - 2 to 3
• Star anise - 1 
• Shajeera - 1/4 tbsp
• Bay leaf/ tej patta - 2 
• Cumin seeds/jeera - 1 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Water - 1 1/2 cup to 2 cups
• Ghee - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves  - 2 tbsp ( chopped) for garnishing
• Kasurimethi - 1 tsp (optional)

Servings: 2

Preparation:

1. Firstly, soak chana for about 6 to 7 hrs or overnight and if you want to add dry green peas soak them too.
2. Also Soak Basmati rice for 30 min to 1 hr and chop the carrot, potatoes to big pieces and also finely chop the onions and slice the green chillies and keep aside.
3.  Now  in a Heavy bottomed vessel, heat 2 tbsp of oil and add 2 bay leaves, 5 cloves, 3 cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon, 1/2 tsp shajeera, 1 star anise, 1 tbsp cumin seeds and saute well.
4. Then add chopped onion , green chillies, carrots, potatoes, soaked dry green peas and cook them for 2 to 3 mins.
5. After 2 to 3 mins add 1 cup chana  and cook them for 2 more minutes and add 1/2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and saute.
6. Now add 1 tsp of red chilli powder, 1/2 tbsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp salt and saute well for 1 minute. 
7. Now add 1 1/2 cup to 2 cups water and leave it to boil and add salt as per your taste at this stage.
8. After it comes to boil, add 1 cup soaked rice and stir well. with open lid, cook on high flame for 5 mins.
9. After 5 mins, give it a stir and reduce the flame to medium and cook with closed lid for another 10 mins till water gets evapourated.
10. Now open the lid add 11/2 tbsp ghee and coriander leaves and cook it on low flame for 2 more minutes and turn off the flame.
11. That's it , our tasty Chana pulao is ready to serve. Serve with raitha /perugu pachadi or you can have it as it is with an onion-cucumber salad.

Tips: 

• You can also cook it in pressure cooker. For that, after adding rice pressure cook for 1 whistle and leave it for 15 minutes without opening the lid. (which is quicker than regular ways).
• Here , I used carrots, potatoes and green peas which increases the flavor of the dish. This is optional if you want you can skip them.