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Chana Pulao (Spicy Chickpeas Pilaf)

Tanvi Srivastava
This punjabi style chana Pulao is a flavorful rice dish made with boiled chickpeas, long grain basmati rice and aromatic indian spices. Weeknight-friendly! Serve with raita & salad!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

To boil Chickpeas (Skip if using canned chickpeas)

  • 1 cup (~150g) raw chickpeas replace with 15oz canned chickpeas
  • 3 cup water room temperature
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon oil I use avocado oil

Whole Spices while boiling chickpeas

  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 8-10 black peppercorns
  • ½ inch cinnamom stick

For the Chana Pulao

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 4 tablespoon cooking oil I use avocado oil
  • 200 g onion sliced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger green chilli paste simply pound ½ inch ginger and 1-2 green chilies in a mortar pestle
  • 85 g tomato fine crushed
  • 2 green chilies slit
  • ½ cup red bell pepper
  • 60 g paneer cubed
  • 1.5 - 2.5 teaspoon chana masala powder adjust qunatity depending on how strong your spice blend is
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1.5 tablespoon ghee optional
  • chopped cilantro to garnish

Whole Spices for Pulao

  • ½ inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 2 cloves
  • 2-3 small green cardamom
  • 5-6 black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Instructions
 

Prep (Boil Chickpeas & Soak Rice)

  • Skip the instructions if using canned chickpeas. Wash raw, dry chickpeas under running water 2-3 times. Add washed chickpeas to a bowl and cover in excess water. Soak overnight or for at least 6-8 hours at room temperature.
  • Add the soaked chickpeas to a pressure cooker or steel insert of Instant pot. Add the whole spices, salt, a glug of oil and baking soda. Cover with fresh water. 
  • Place on a high flame and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Reduce the stove to low medium and cook for 4-5 whistles or until the chickpeas are tender(yet firm and retaining shape).Chickpeas should have a bite after cooking since they will cook with rice.
  • Once cooked, drain the chickpeas and reserve the “chickpeas stock”. Place the boiled chickpeas in a bowl. Pick and discard the whole spices.
  • While chickpeas are boiling, wash basmati rice under a stream of water 3-4 times until water runs clear. Add chickpeas to a large bowl and Soak in excess water for 20-30 minutes.

Make Pulao

  • Start by choosing a wide, shallow cooking pot—something like a 10-inch skillet works perfectly. The broad surface area ensures even cooking, which is particularly important for rice dishes. It also helps excess moisture evaporate quickly, giving you fluffier, well-separated grains.
  • Heat oil in the pan and once it’s warm, temper it with all the whole spices. Let them sizzle on low heat and release their aroma into the oil for about 10 to 12 seconds.
  • Next, add the sliced onions. Cook them slowly over medium-low heat, stirring often and patiently browning them for about 7 to 9 minutes until they turn a deep golden color. Since we arent using turmeric, the onions will determine the final color of your pulao, so don’t rush this step.
  • Once the onions are browned, stir in the ginger-green chilli paste, whole green chilies(slitl),red bell pepper, and paneer (if you're using it). Sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and cook them down for 3 to 4 minutes. Keep a close eye—they should lose their raw taste but still retain some moisture.
  • Now, add the boiled chickpeas and sprinkle in the chana masala powder. Stir well to coat the chickpeas in the spices.
  • Gently fold in the drained, soaked rice. Then, pour in the reserved chickpea stock. If there's not enough stock, top it off with water until you have the right amount. Add 2+¼ cup of reserved stock+water.
  • At this point, taste and adjust the salt—remember, the liquid should taste slightly over-salted to ensure that the rice turns out well seasoned. Drizzle in some ghee, if you’re using it.
  • Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once boiling, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and let it simmer on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
  • Turn off the heat and, very importantly, do not open the lid. Let it rest undisturbed so the steam can finish cooking the rice to perfection.

Notes

        • Store leftovers for 2-3 days refrigerated in an air tight container.
        • Don’t just stick to the standard water-to-rice ratio. Trust your instincts a little. If your chickpeas are on the firmer side, they’ll soak up more liquid while they cook. So, feel free to add a bit more water if you think it needs it. 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!