Ingredients:
White Rice/Brown Rice – 1.5 cups
Chana dal – 3/4 cup
Onion – 1 Big or 2 medium
Yogurt/Curd – 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Chopped mint – 1 tbsp
Garlic Cloves – 4
Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
Green chilli – 2
Red Chilli – 1
Black pepper – 8 to 10
Cloves – 4 to 5
Green cardamom – 3 to 4
Bay Leaf – 2
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Shah Jeera – 1 tsp
Cinnamon powder – 1/8 tsp
Coriander powder – 1/8 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/8 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Oil – 2 tsp
Butter/Ghee – 2 tsp
Salt to taste
For Garnish:
Raisins and Cashew nuts – handful
Ghee – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – handful
Method:
Wash and soak white/brown rice for half an hour.
Cook the rice in pressure cooker or directly in a large pan.
Drain the water and set aside to cool.
Wash and soak Chana dal for 2 to 3 hours.
Pressure cook the dal till it is cooked well but still retains its shape.
It should not become mushy.
Fry Cashew nuts and Raisins in 1 tsp of ghee and set aside.
Crush Garlic Cloves + Ginger + 1 green chilli into a coarse paste.
Crush green cardamom + 3 peppers + 2 cloves into a very coarse powder in mortar pestle.
Slice the onions into thin long slices.
Beat the yogurt/Curd so that there are no lumps and it becomes smooth.
Heat ghee/butter and remaining oil in a large pan.Once hot, add bay leaf, remaining cloves,peppers and fry for few seconds.
Add cumin seeds and shah jeera seeds and fry for few seconds.
Add Red chilli , Sliced green chilli and fry for few seconds.
Add the crushed clove+pepper+cardamom powder.
Add thinly sliced onions and fry till onions turn brown.
Once onion is brown, add ginger+garlic+green chilli paste and fry for few seconds.
Add chopped mint leaves and fry for few seconds.
Add all the powders one by one and fry well.
Add cooked Chana dal and mix well.
Add curd and salt and mix well.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the cooked rice and mix well.
Cover and cook the rice in a low flame for 5 more minutes till all the flavors are incorporated.
Serve the chana dal pulao garnished with fried raisins, cashew nuts and chopped coriander leaves.
This pulao goes well with any raita or plain curd and pickle.
healthysamayal 