Kala Chana Pulao ( Black Chickpeas Pulao)

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Kala Chana (Black Chickpeas) Pulao, protein rich one-pot meal. This is one of the quickest and tastiest option for a healthy lunch box. Black Chickpeas (Kala Chana), is a good source for dietary fiber. This chickpeas along with onion, tomato and other Indian spices are cooked together with rice to get a very nutritional rich and balanced diet. This is a perfect recipe for kids lunch box as it has more nutritional values. We can also enrich this pulao with grated carrot, green capsicum and make more nutritional. A very easy to make pulao variety and would make a yummy recipe even for potluck or parties! We are making this pulao in a pressure cooker and so this is part of one-pot meal. We can serve this yummy protein rich Kala Chana (Black Chickpeas) Pulao with raitha of your choice and enjoy this rich meal!

Tips for making Kala Chana Pulao:

Soak the chickpeas overnight or atleast for 8 hours. If you want to do it immediately and you forgot to soak, soak in hot water for 4 hours.
Chickpeas is cooked twice in this recipe, so make sure for the first time cook for only 2-3 whistles.
Cooked chickpeas will have left over water which can be used for making pulao so do not strain it.
We can make this pulao without onions too.
Finally when cooking pulao, cook for 1 whistle in high flame and then cook in low flame for 10-12 mins.

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Recipe card for Kala Chana Pulao | Black Chickpeas Pulao:

INSTRUCTIONS

SOAKING PROCESS

Wash and Soak Black Chickpeas in fresh water and leave it overnight or for minimum of 8 hours.

PARBOILING CHICKPEAS

After soaking for 8-12 hours, drain the water. Add 2 cups of fresh water to soaked chickpeas. Add a teaspoon of salt and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.

This parboiling process makes the chickpeas half cooked. We will again cook the chickpeas along with rice and other spices. Once the pressure is fully released, strain the water from the cooked chickpeas and reserve this water. Do not discard it. This cooked water will give a nice flavor to the whole dish. We will be using this water later to cook the rice.

SOAKING RICE

Wash and Soak the rice in water and set it aside for 30 mins

TEMPERING TIME!

Heat a pressure cooker. Add Ghee / Oil. I have used Ghee+oil. Its our choice. When the ghee is hot, add whole garam masalas (bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise) along with cumin seeds and sauté in ghee.

Then, add green chilli along with chopped ginger and sauté in ghee for for few seconds.

COOKING ONION-TOMATO MASALA

Now, add sliced onions and sauté in ghee till translucent.

Then, add chopped tomato along with chole masala and red chilli powder.

Sauté Onion-tomato mixture for 5 mins.

TIME TO ADD RICE & CHICKPEAS!

To the masala, add the parboiled chickpeas and give a mix.

Now add rice and mix gently. Do not apply too much pressure after adding rice that will break the rice.

COOKING TIME!

Now, add the reserved water (we kept aside after cooking chickpeas) to the pan.

Adjust the salt.

Cover the pressure cooker with the lid. Put the whistle and pressure cook in high flame for 1 whistle. After 1 whistle, keep the flame very low and cook for another 10-12 mins. Let the pressure escapes completely.