Channa Pulao

I prepared this Channa pulao for hubby's lunch box. Though it seems a lengthy process, a little preparation in advance will help us to cook fast. I guess the channa in the pulao will help to reduce the carbohydrate proportion in our lunch:) Even without coconut milk and ghee , this channa pulao will taste great. But I have narrated the complete recipe. The option is yours:)
Lets go to the recipe .

Channa pulav / kondakadalai satham / chickpea rice:




Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 3/4 cup
White Channa - 3/4 cup
Coconut milk from 3 tbsp shredded cococnut with water - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 (small)
Garlic - 3 pods
olive Oil - 2 tbsp
coriander leaves - a handful
mint leaf - a handful
Ghee - 1/2 teaspoon.
Fry and Grind:
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cardamoms - 1
Cloves - 3
Onion (chopped) - 1 small
Red chillies - 10 Nos.
Tomato - 1 (big)
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 2 pods
ginger - 1 inch

Method:
1.Soak the white Channa overnight (10 hours). Pressure cook the Channa completely up to 5 whistles . I reduce the heat after a whistle and cook it in mild flame for 12 minutes. Just hate to wake up my neighbors with my cooker whistle:)

2.soak the Basmathi rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water completely.

3.Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a wok. Add everything given to roast and grind except tomato.
After the onions become tender, add the chopped tomato. Sprinkle a little water and cook the tomatoes to tender.
Cool them completely and grind into a fine paste in a mixie/ blender.

4.Again heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok. fry the chopped onion to golden brown. Add chopped garlic, cilantro and mint leaves.
After a while put the ground masala and cook till the raw smell goes. check for salt. The salt should be perfect now. This is the 'masala for channa pulav'.

5. Take 3 tbsp of shredded coconut and extract milk from it using 1/2 cup of water.(OR) Dissolve 1 tbsp store bought coconut milk in 1/2 cup water.

6. Take a heavy bottom vessel with lid. Pour 1 cup water and bring to boil.
Add the soaked rice , little salt.

7. Then add the coconut milk, prepared channa pulav masala and let it boil.
Then reduce the flame to minimum and close it with a tight lid. cook it for 20 minutes.
(OR) Transfer everything to a pressure cooker. After a whistle switch off the flame and open after the pressure is gone.

Channa pulav is ready.

Note:
Time taken to cook the channa pulao - 1 hour.
Actually we can cook the channa and prepare this masala in advance to make our job easy. Both will stay good for 1 day if refrigerated.
I dissolved 1 tbsp coconut milk in 1/2 cup water to get the coconut milk.
Immediately after cooking , the pulao may seem to have some excess gravy .
But that gravy will be absorbed by the rice in 30 minutes to one hour completely after switching off the flame.
We need not waste the left over water from cooked channa. I used it to prepare the rice.
Sprinkle and mix the ghee before serving.

Serving suggestions:
The above said quantity will be more than enough for 2 adults.
Serve it hot with boiled egg and Carrot-onion raitha.