Pakistani Style Chanay Ka Pulao (Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans Pilaf)

Bint e Naeem's Note:

This is one of the quickest & yet tastiest meal one can make in emergency situations. Although a lot of people usually have the same recipe for Matar (Greenpeas) Pulao & this Pulao. This recipe is way different than the usual Pulao recipe. This one is a bit spicy & more "masalay daar" as I call it. If you are not used to have it that spicy u can always lessen the quantity of chillie powder. A good tip while making any kind of Pulao is that after you add rice in the water mixture. Cook on a high heat till the water dries up completely & then cover & simmer it on low heat, otherwise you'll end up with a mushy halwa rather than your regular Pulao rice. Ginger garlic paste is also optional in this recipe. Yeah yeah I know its the core ingredient in Pakistani dishes but you can skip it if you want.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

Yield: 12.0 3/4 cup ...

• 3 cups basmati rice (soaked in water for at least 1/2 an hour)
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (Safaid Chanay) or 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (Safaid Chanay)
• 1 cup oil
• 1 medium onion (sliced)
• 3 teaspoons cumin seeds (zeera)
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste (Lehsan Adrak)
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons red chili powder
• 3 black cardamom pods (bari elaichi)
• 1 teaspoon clove (laung)
• 2 cinnamon sticks (Dalchini)
• 1 ½ cups yogurt
• 3 teaspoons anise seed (saunf)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 3 ½ cups water

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan & fry onions till they turn golden brown.
2. Add cardamom pods (bari elaichi), cloves (laung), cinammon sticks (dalchini), cumin seeds (zeera) in the onions & stir for about 10 seconds. Then add ginger/garlic paste (lehsan adrak), 2 teaspoons salt and red chili powder & stir fry on medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Next add yogurt & chickpeas/garbanzos & cook on medium high till the yogurt water dries up.
4. Now add garam masala powder & anise seed (saunf) powder & cover & cook for 2 minutes on medium low heat. (Its THESE two ingredients which make this pulao very different then the usual pulaos you might have eaten so far.
5. Finally add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, rice & the water & cook it uncovered on high heat for 7 minutes or till the water dries up.
6. Cover the pan & close the lid tightly making sure no steam passes out & cook on low heat for 15 minutes or till the rice is done.
7. Serve it your favorite chutney or raita.
8. Although my family likes raita with this pulao I love it with this http://www.recipezaar.com/276267 Chutney.

Reviews

[UmmIbrahim]

I had this recipe printed and sitting in my cookbook for over a year. I finally made it last week and I wish I had sooner! This is a very delicious and tasty dish that I know I will go to over and over. Love the flavors and the smells and goes well with soooo many things! We love it!

[Georgiapea]

I didn't think this was phenomenal, but I liked it. I finely minced some ginger and garlic to add in place of the ginger-garlic paste, and I used brown basmati rice. Other than that I did everything just as described. I did find that this took longer to cook than described (I did use brown rice, so, fair enough). I served this with your tamarind/cilantro sauce and potato kebabs and my own raita. Delicious as a meal, and the sauces made it more complete I think. I would suggest serving this with a sweet chutney (which I am currently out of); I think that would really round out the dish! My overall opinion of it was that it was good/tasty, but that with all the spices and the time that it took to make I wish it had been better. I will say, though, that my American palette is not used to these flavors and that could certainly have something to do with it. Thanks so much! I have really enjoyed making your dishes! Reviewed for PAC Spring 2009.