Channa Pulao | Kabuli Channa Pulao | Chickpea Pulao

Channa Pulao - a flavorful pulao made with white chickpeas.  An easy, healthy, one-pot meal - perfect for those lazy afternoons when you don't feel like cooking an elaborate meal.  Goes very well with any raita, especially onion raita.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
• White chickpeas/kabuli channa - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1 medium size, chopped lengthwise
• Green chilies - 3, slit lengthwise
• Tomato - 1, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Chana masala powder - 1 tsp                     
• Salt - As required

To Temper:

• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cloves - 2
• Cardamom - 2
• Cinnamon - 1 small piece

How To Prepare Channa Pulao:

• Wash and soak channa overnight.  Pressure cook it with 2 cups of water till 3 whistles.  Strain the water and keep channa aside.
• Wash and soak the basmati rice for about 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the items under "to temper".
• Add onion and green chilies to it and fry till the onions turn transparent.
• Then add the ginger-garlic paste to it and fry till the raw smell goes off.  Take care not to burn it.
• Now add the tomatoes to it and fry till they turn mushy.
• Add channa masala powder and mix well.
• Now add the soaked rice, the boiled channa and salt and mix well.
• Add 1-1/2 cups of water to it and close the lid.  Wait for one whistle and switch off.
• Let the cooker cool down completely before you open it.  Remove the rice into a wide basin and mix well, but gently.
• Yummm Channa pulao is now ready.  Serve with any raita of your choice or chips.