Food that provides familiar warmth and happiness doesn't necessarily need to be curd/yoghurt rice or khichdi.

It can be a fragrant helping of Hitesh Harisinghani's Brown Chana Pulau that is made in less than 15 minutes if all your prep is done.

Ideal for two people, enjoy it with papad, pickle and dahi or a raita. The leftovers can be packed for your tiffin the next day.

Brown Chana Pulau

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 100 gm dark brown chana
• 1 cup rice, uncooked
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
• 3-4 lavang or cloves
• 1 tej patta or bay leaf
• 2 green chillies
• 5-6 garlic pods
• ½-inch piece ginger
• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp dhania or coriander powder
• 5-6 black peppercorns
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp chopped fresh green dhania or coriander or cilantro leaves

Method

• Wash the chana and soak it overnight.
• Wash the rice and soak it overnight.
• In a blender, grind the green chillies, garlic, ginger to a coarse paste.
  Keep aside.
• Heat the oil and the ghee in a pressure cooker.
  Add the cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf, black peppercorns.
  Add the ginger-garlic-chilly paste.
  Saute for 2 minutes.
  Add the sliced onions.
  Saute for 3-4 minutes.
  Add the sliced tomato, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala.
  Mix well.
  Add the soaked brown chana after draining the water.
  Saute for 5 minutes.
  Add the soaked rice.
  Add the chopped coriander leaves.
  Pressure cook over medium-high heat for 3 whistles.
  Take off heat and serve hot with papad, pickle and dahi/raita.

• REDIFF RECIPES