Quick Spicy Chana Pulao

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup oil (for frying)
• 3 onions (sliced)
• sabut garam masala (whole spices)
• cumin seeds (to taste)
• black peppercorns (to taste)
• cloves (to taste)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic green chillies paste
• 1.5 cup chickpeas (boiled)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• salt (to taste)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp crushed chillies
• 2 tbsp biryani masala
• 0.5 tbsp dhania powder (coriander powder)
• 0.5 tbsp fennel seed powder
• 4 cup water
• 3 cup sella rice (soaked for 7 hours)
• coriander leaves (freshly chopped)
• lemons (sliced or juiced)
• green chillies (whole or slit)
• 0.33 cup yogurt
• zarda color (yellow/orange food coloring)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a pressure cooker or large pot. Add 3 sliced onions and sauté until they are deep golden brown.

2. 2

   Add the whole spices: sabut garam masala, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, and cloves to the onions.

3. 3

   Stir in 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic green chillies paste.

4. 4

   Add 1.5 cups of boiled chickpeas and 1 chopped tomato to the pot.

5. 5

   Add the spices: salt to taste, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon crushed chillies, 2 tablespoons biryani masala, 1/2 tablespoon dhania powder, and 1/2 tablespoon fennel seed powder. Mix everything well.

6. 6

   Pour in 4 cups of water.

7. 7

   Add 3 cups of sella rice (which should be soaked for 7 hours prior to cooking).

8. 8

   Add coriander leaves, lemons, green chillies, and 1/3 cup of yogurt. Mix well to combine.

9. 9

   Seal the pressure cooker. Cook on high flame for 4 minutes, then reduce to low flame and cook for another 6 minutes (10 minutes total pressure cooking time).

10. 10

    Release the pressure and open the lid. Add the zarda color over the rice.

11. 11

    Cover the lid again (without pressure) and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Sella rice requires a long soaking time (7 hours) to achieve the correct texture for this pulao. If you do not have a pressure cooker, you may need to increase the water and cooking time significantly.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• spicy
• one-pot
• pressure-cooker
• rice-dish
• chana-pulao