Chole / Chana Biryani

I had tried this biryani sometime back and was waiting to share the recipe  in the space . This summer holidays has really made me one lazy bug and this endless cold puts me off . Coming back to the recipe Chana or chole biryani is an aromatic biryani blended with spices . I adapted this recipe from Zee Kannada cookery show ‘Oggarane Dabbi ‘ which was telecasted long back . The measurement mentioned below is compiled by me since it does not specify the accurate measures .  I have tried several recipes of chana biryani which I will share in the coming days . For the biryani rice I always follow my own recipe which I prepare using electric cooker method .

Ingredients for the rice:

Basmathi rice – 1 cup (I used India Gate )

Cardamom – 3

Cloves -2

Cinnamon – 1″

Ghee -3 tbsp approx

Salt – to taste

Saffron – few strands diluted in 1 tbsp milk

Water – 2 cups

Ingredients for the curry :

Cooked chickpeas – 1 cup

Aniseed – few

Bay leaf – 1

Cardamom – 3

Cinnamon – 1 ”

Cloves – 2

Onions – 3

Green chilly – 5

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Chilly powder – 1tsp

Garam masala powder -1 tsp

Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp

Coconut milk – 1 cup

Tomato puree – 3 tomatoes ,puree it

Coriander leaves – handful, chopped

Mint leaves – handful,chopped

Fried onion – handful

Cashewnuts and raisins – handful , roasted in ghee

Kewra essence – few drops ( optional)

Method for the rice:

1. Wash the rice well .
2. Take an electric rice cooker, grease the base with a tbsp of ghee .
3. Add all the ingredients mentioned under the list .
4. Cook the rice until done .
5. You may also pressure cooker all the ingredients for 1 whistle .
6. Or you may cook it in the pan until 3/4th cooked and drain the water .

Method for the chole :

1. Heat remaining ghee in a pan , add whole spices .
2. Add onions and saute it until translucent .
3. Add all the powders one by one and saute it .
4. Add tomato puree and saute until raw smell disappears .
5. Add cooked chickpea , green chillies and coconut milk .
6. Add salt to taste and take a boil .
7. Cook it until it turns dry .

How to proceed :

1. Take a borosil bowl , layer the curry and rice alternately .
2. Add fried onions , chopped mint and coriander leaves in between .
3. Spread the roasted dry fruits and fried onions .
4. Sprinkle kewra essence .
5. Cover it with cling film and microwave for 5 minutes .
6. You may also mix together rice and chole .
7. Serve it hot with raita .