Chana Masala Rice (Chickpeas Masala Rice), a rich masala rice made with protein rich chickpeas enriched with vegetables. This is a one-pot rice thats makes a perfect Kid's Lunch Box recipe! Most of the kids love to eat chickpeas and this less spicy version of chickpeas masala rice would be of great interest to them especially during their lunch at school. We can serve this rice with any Raitha variety or even with plain curd. If we plan to pack this Chickpeas masala rice in lunchbox, then we should plan not make cucumber or some variety of raitha other than onion. During hot climates, we should try to use milk+Curd combination in raitha instead of plain curd as plain curd would become more sour during lunch time.
Adding curry powder (a powder made with coriander seeds, bengal gram and red chili) is optional for this rice. But this curry powder is making the rice taste more unique and flavorful than regular pulao. This is mostly a pulao variety with a tinge of South Indian masala. Try this way of making chana rice and share your comments!
Tips for making Chana Masala Rice:
- Soak chickpeas overnight or in hot boiling water for atleast 4 hours.
- Wash and soak basmati rice atleast for 20 mins. This makes the rice cook faster with less water.
- Adding veggies are optional but surely give additional nutrition to the rice.
- Coconut milk to cook the rice gives a nice flavor. Adding just water instead of coconut milk is also perfectly fine.
- We can cook this rice in pressure cooker too instead of open pan. Start with tempering and proceed all the steps. After adding coconut milk + water, we can close the pressure cooker and cook in high flame for 2 whistles and then switch off the flame. Let the pressure releases naturally and then we can open the pressure cooker and serve.
You may also want to try:
- Chole Biryani
- Instant Pot Kadala Curry
- Black Chickpeas Masala Kuzhambu
- Kala Chana Pulao
- Kondakadalai Dosa
Recipe Card for Chickpeas Masala Rice | Chana Masala Rice:
Chickpeas Masala Rice | Chana Masala Rice
Equipments Needed
- Heavy Bottomed Pan
- Mixer Grinder
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 243kcal
Chickpeas Masala Rice- a very tasty rice variety and a great lunch box dish too! This dish is very simple to make and there are many variations we can include. It's all just our imagination! Most of the kids love to eat chickpeas and this less spicy version of chickpeas masala rice would be of great for them, especially during their lunch at school. We can serve this rice with any raitha variety or even with plain curd.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Chickpeas (Kondakadalai) 1 cup = 250 ml
- 1½ cup Basmati Rice Any raw rice type is fine
- 1 nos Carrot
- 1 nos Onion
- ¼ cup green peas
- 1 pinch Turmeric Powder
- to taste Salt
Coconut Milk+Water Mixture
- 2 cups Coconut Milk Coconut milk is optional. You can use only water instead. But coconut milk certainly enhances the flavor and taste. I have used store bought tinned coconut milk.
- 1 cup Water
For Grinding
- ½ teaspoon Oil
- 2 teaspoon Coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon Split Bengal Gram (Channa Dal / Kadalaparuppu)
- 1 nos Red Chili
For Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Oil Butter can be used as an alternative
- 1 nos Bay Leaf
- 1 nos Cardamom
- 1 nos Cinnamon Stick
- 2 nos Cloves
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- few Curry leaves
- 2 nos Green Chilies
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak the Chickpeas overnight and pressure cook it till it is soft allowing it for 3 whistles. We can also use canned and boiled chick peas which will definitely make our effort less.
- Finely chop the onions. Wash and peel the carrot and chop it finely. Slit the green chillies.
- Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes. I have used normal rice. We can also use Basmati rice.
Making of Chickpeas Masala Rice
- Heat a pan and add oil. Add the grinding ingredients and fry till the dal turns golden brown. Remove the fried ingredients and take to the mixer and grind it to a nice powder.
- Heat a pan and add butter or cooking oil and add the seasoning ingredients and fry for a minute. Then add chopped onions along with a pinch of salt and saute them till they become transparent.
- Meanwhile, drain the water from the soaked rice and keep it ready. Then add chopped carrots along with turmeric, and toss them and stir fry them in medium flame for 5 minutes. Now we need to add the ground masala and fry them for a minute.
- Add the cooked chickpeas and green peas. Stir fry for a minute, then add the rice and stir fry it for another 2 minutes.
- Now we need to cook them all by adding coconut milk+water. The ratio of rice and water is 1:2. For 1.5 Cups of rice, I have used 3 Cups of coconut milk + water. Addition of Coconut milk is optional. If you don’t want you can add just 3 cups of plain water.
- Keep the flame high and cook the rice and vegetables. When ¾th of the water is absorbed, we can add salt and mix once.
- When all the water is absorbed, close the pan with the lid and cook for another 20 minutes in a low flame. By that time, the rice would have cooked completely and would have become fluffy without sticking and becoming mushy.
- We don’t need to stir and mix the rice very frequently while cooking as it would make the breakdown the cooked rice and eventually make it mushy. Switch off the flame.
- The yummy and fluffy Chickpeas Masala Rice is now ready to serve with raitha and also ready for packing the lunch box!
Video
Nutritional Info
Nutrition Facts
Chickpeas Masala Rice | Chana Masala Rice
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 243
Calories from Fat 77
% Daily Value*
Fat 8.5g13%
Saturated Fat 1.1g7%
Sodium 121mg5%
Potassium 217mg6%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Protein 6g12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @subbuskitchen or tag #subbuskitchen!
Subscribe to our YouTube ChannelSubscribe! to get Latest Subbuskitchen Video Recipes
Good PracticeAll the Images and videos are Copyright Protected. So please do not copy the content or images. If you want to use, please ask for it
Instructions with Step by Step Pictures:
- Soak the Chickpeas overnight and pressure cook it till it is soft allowing it for 3 whistles. We can also use canned and boiled chick peas which will definitely make our effort less. Finely chop the onions. Wash and peel the carrot and chop it finely. Slit the green chillies. Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes. I have used normal rice. We can also use Basmati rice.
- Heat a pan and add oil. Add the grinding ingredients and fry till the dal turns golden brown color. Remove the fried ingredients and take to the mixer and grind it to a nice powder
- Heat a pan and add butter or cooking oil and add the seasoning ingredients and fry for a minute. Then add Chopped onions along with a pinch of salt and saute them till they become transparent.
- Meanwhile, drain the water from the soaked rice and keep it ready. Then add chopped carrots along with turmeric, and toss them and stir fry them in medium flame for 5 minutes. Now we need to add the ground masala and fry them for a minute
- Add the cooked chick peas and green peas and stir fry for a minute. Then add the rice and stir fry it for another 2 minutes
- Now we need to cook them all by adding coconut milk+water. The ratio of rice and water is 1:2. For 1.5 Cups of rice, I have used 3 Cups of coconut milk + water. Addition of Coconut milk is optional. I personally like the flavor of rice cooked with coconut milk. But if you don't want you can add just 3 cups of plain water. Keep the flame high and cook the rice and vegetables. When ¾th of the water is absorbed, we can add salt and mix once
- When all the water is absorbed, close the pan with the lid and cook for another 20 minutes in a low flame. By the time, the rice would have cooked completely and would have become fluffy without sticking and becoming mushy. We don't need to stir and mix the rice very frequently while cooking as it would make the breakdown the cooked rice and eventually make it mushy. Switch off the flame.
- The yummy and fluffy Chickpeas Masala Rice is now ready to serve with Raitha and also ready for packing the lunch box!
