Chana Pulao
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Rapeseed oil or any other oil you prefer
- 2 onions sliced
- 1750 ml water (or 5 mugs)
- 800 grams Basmati rice (or 3 mugs)
- 1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
- 2 green chillies, sliced down the middle optional if you want a spicy rice
Spices
- 2.5 tsp Salt
- 1 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 heaped tsp cumin seeds
- 5 cloves
- 5 black peppercorns
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 2 black cardamom pods
Instructions
- Firstly wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear and leave to soak in cold water. Soak for at least 30 minutes. The longer you leave the rice to soak, the quicker it will cook. Turn the oven on at 100C, fan assisted.
- Heat the oil in the pan, turn the heat to low and add all the spices except the salt and fry for around 30 seconds, or until you can heat the sizzle of the cumin seeds.
- Then turn the heat to medium add the onions and lightly brown. The onions should be soft. Then add in the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
- Next add in the chickpeas, salt and green chillies and stir through.
- Then add the drained rice, water and cover with the pan lid. Once the water has started to boil, turn the heat to low and let the rice cook until the water has nearly all evaporated. Keep checking the how the rice is cooking, once the water had nearly dried out put the pan in the oven for "dham"/ steaming for 30 minutes. You can alternatively do the steaming on the hob, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pan with a thin tea towel and then put the pan lid on top.
