Kala Chana Pulao (Black chickpeas) is one of the protein rich and super healthy dish. This is by far one of the easiest one pot meals. It is as healthy as any takeaway meals and can be easily prepared in minutes.
It’s a delicious vegan and vegetarian meal and anyone can prepare it. You can serve it with raita, black chickpea hummus and pappadums or pickles.This makes it a filling vegetarian meal in minutes.
This pulav can be made with any canned chickpeas or your leftover rice too.
What goes in this pilaf
This pilaf is a simple blend of very few ingredients. I used pre soaked and cooked black chana with basmati rice. Cooked both of these together with an aromatic blends of spices and added 1/2 cup of fresh grated coconut. It was delicious preparation!
We all loved it and had it with the sides of my innovative black chickpea hummus.
Apart from the regular chickpea curry and Falafel this was a great change in flavour and menu. My husband loves the kala chana chat where we add a good blend of spices, chopped onions and coriander and a dash of lemon juice and have it for snack almost anytime!! yumm, already drooling!!
It happened to be the same plan that day , but I ended up soaking double the chickpeas. So to not repeat the menu I tried my hands on the fusion hummus and this pilaf. And both were great change of taste in our regular menu.
This recipe is a must try as apart from being healthy it’s tasty and very simple and rich in ingredients.
Let’s check the recipe in detail.
Kala Chana Pulao/ Black Chickpea Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati rice / Long grain rice (wash and soak them in water for half an hour)
- 1 cups soaked and cooked black chickpeas/ kala chana [Do not cook the chickpeas if using an instant pot]
- 0.5 cup fresh/ frozen grated coconut
- 1 cup onion chopped or long cut slices
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Chole masala/ Garam masala
- 1 tesp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp oil
- Salt as per taste
- 2.5 cup water
Instructions
Instant Pot Recipe
- Turn the Instant Pot on saute mode.
- Heat oil and crack cumin seeds in it.
- Saute ginger garlic paste, onions, spices and add the soaked and drained black chickpeas to it.
- Stir it well and add the soaked and drained rice to it. Now add the fresh grated coconut to it and add 2.5 cups of freshwater and salt as per taste.
- Close the lid and off the saute mode.Turn on the vent to sealing position.
- Set manually on high pressure and set the timer for 6 minutes.
- Upon done it will beep. Then do a Quick release QR button. (Wait for the silver button on the lid to drop)
- Open the lid and garnish your rice with fresh coriander.
- The rice is ready to serve with your choice of raita or curry.
In a kadhai/Wok
- Wash and soak the rice in water for half an hour.
- In a pressure cooker cook the black chick peas along with a piece of ginger and 1 cup water until little soft. (I cooked for 3 whistles and simmered it for 5 minutes and then cooled down)
- Now in a pan / Kadhai heat oil . Crack some cumin seeds and saute ginger garlic paste in it.
- Now saute the onions until soft and add the cooked chickpeas to it. (Ensure no water in chickpeas)
- Now add the spices and give it a good mix.Now add the soaked and drained rice and give it a good stir. Add the fresh grated coconut to it and mix well.
- Now 2.5 cups of water and salt as per taste. Stir it and allow it to cook for 10-12 minutes without the lid on medium high flame. (If using leftover rice the time required to cook will reduce.)
- After about 12 minutes the water reduces and you can now cook it with the lid on for another 10 minutes on low flame.
- The Rice is ready after about 25 minutes in total and its aromatic.
- You can serve it with Raita, Hummus or any other curry.
Notes
- Soak the chickpeas for at least 7-8 hours before using.
- Cook the chickpeas before if making the pilaf on a wok and use soaked not cooked chickpeas if making it in the instant pot.
- You can add garbanzo beans/ chole instead of black chickpeas. Process remains same.
- Canned chick peas can be used. The cooking time for this will reduce as they are precooked.
- You can add tomatoes, carrots, and capsicum, potatoes to it if you like.
- Instead of Chana masala you can use biryani or garam masala too.
- If you like spicy you can even add green chillies while saute.
- You can use Ambe Mor or Sona masoori rice too instead of long grain rice.
- Do not use sticky rice
- You can use desiccated coconut or totally skip it.
We would like to hear from you. If you try this recipe please let us know in the comments below.
You can also email me at veggie.bites.2020@gmail.com
For latest updates on veggie.bites follow veggie.bites on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Heading