Channa Pulao

Today I made Channa pulao for my hubby's lunch box.It is a one pot meal with a blend of basmathi rice and chick peas with other spices.It is a healthy,flavorful rice,which is easy to make.

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Chick peas(channa)	1cup
Basmathi rice	11/2cups
Onion	1no.(medium size)
Tomato	2nos.(medium size)
Garlic	4-5 pods
Ginger	1 inch piece
Green chilly	2-3nos.
Coconut(grated)	3tbs
Red chilly powder	1/2tsp
Coriander powder	1tsp
Garam masala powder	1/2tsp
Turmeric powder powder	1/2tsp
Mint leaves	1/4cup
Coriander leaves	to garnish
Oil	3tbs
Salt	to taste

To Season

Ingredient	Quantity
Onion(chopped)	2tbs
Ginger&garlic paste	1/2tsp
Cloves	4nos.
Cinnamon	1 inch piece

Method

                       Soak the channa overnight and pressure cook for 2 whistles(no need to cook softly again its going to cook with rice).Soak the basmathi rice in water for 15-20 mins.Cut the onoin and tomatoes into big chunks.Heat a pan with oil and saute onion,ginger,garlic and green chillies till it becomes soft.Add the tomatoes and mint,cook it.Add the spice powders,coconut and salt and fry it for a minute and grind it to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pressure pan season it with the ingredients given"to season" and saute.Add the ground paste,give it a stir then cooked channa,21/4 cups of water and let it boil.

Add the rice soaked rice and cover it with the lid.Cook it for 1 whistle in a medium flame and keep it in the low flame for 5 minutes.Switch off the stove.Open it after the pressure subsides and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Channa pulao is ready.

Enjoy it with raitha and chips.

• It can be made in electric rice cooker instead of pressure cooker.

• Soaking the rice in water is a must to get a perfect texture for the cooked rice.

• Cashews can be used to get extra rich taste.

• Lemon juice can be added in the end for extra tanginess

• The amount of water depends on the quality of the rice.