Indian Chickpea and Rice (Chana Pulao)
This Indian-inspired chickpea and rice - chana pulao is a delicious rice dish that is fragrant, aromatic, and packed with flavors! An easy one-pot meal that is freezer-friendly and ready in 30 minutes.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 132kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ inch ginger peeled and minced
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 cup basmati rice uncooked *
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional, for heat)
- ½ 15 oz can chickpeas rinsed (or 1 ½ cup cooked chickpeas)
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Spices
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pod black cardamom
- 3 pods green cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 whole black peppercorn
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a pan. Add onion, and saute until translucent and lightly browned for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water to deglaze pot, then stir in garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute until fragrant.
- Next, add all spices, frying for another minute.
- Add water, rice, chickpeas, and salt to the pot. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook on medium-low to low heat, covered for 10-15 minutes. At this point, the rice should have absorbed most of the water. Avoid opening the lid while the rice is cooking.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then fluff up the rice using a rice paddle or fork.
- Serve your chickpea and rice while warm!
Notes
Helpful tips
- Spices - Some spices, like black cardamom, can be hard to get, so feel free to omit them. You can customize this recipe and add spices such as garam masala, turmeric powder, and star anise.
- Instant pot version - Use the saute mode to cook your onion, garlic, and spices. Then, cancel saute. Cover and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally, then fluffy your rice using a rice paddle.
- Avoid stirring rice or opening the lid when cooking - This might disrupt the cooking process as steam and heat escape the pot. As a result, your rice might not be cooked properly.
- Fixing undercooked rice - If all the water is absorbed but your rice is still chewy, add 2-3 tablespoons of hot water and cook it on low for another 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg
