Channa Pulao with Spinach

This recipe I tried from "Marina Mornings" given by Samina Jalil, turned out to be great. Thanks Samina. This one is a real keeper and a crowd pleaser too. Photos will be updated in near future......until then can't wait to share with you all .......

Channa Pulao with Spinach

Ingredients:

Kabuli Channa/ Dried Chic-pea - 300 g (after boiled, measure)

Spinach - 1 bunch (leaves only, sauteed in 1tbsp ghee until wilted, keep aside, if there is water left then add it to electric cooker dish)

Golden Raisins - 1/4 cup (sauteed in ghee too)

Basmati Rice - 2 and 1/2 cups

Water - 3 + 3/4 cups

Deep fried Shallots - 3 tbsp

Whole Masalas - {Cardamom - 5 no (punch these to open)., Whole Cloves - 10 no., Cinnamon stick - 1 inch, Whole Black Pepper - 10 no.}

Ginger Garlic Paste - 3 tsp

Yoghurt - 1/2 cup

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Water - 1/4 cup

Proceed:

1) Heat oil in a deep nonstick dish. Add whole masala fry until fragrant.

2) Add shallots, immediately add gg paste with 1/4th cup water (preventing from burning), fry until nicely fried. Add salt (2 and 1/2 tsp) and turmeric, stir well.

3) Add drained Chick-pea to it, fry for few sec. Remove from heat and immediately follow point 4.

4) Add yoghurt stir well and return it to heat, add garam masala powder too and keep stirring, keep lid on for few mins, mean while follow point 5.

5) Wash basmati rice 3 times, when water evaporates in point 4 add drained rice to it and stir gently until water evaporates.

6) Transfer this to electric cooker, add measured water, mix gently once and switch on.

7) In the last 5 mins, before it goes to switch off mode, top it up with sauteed spinach and raisins and keep covered.

8) Once it's goes to off mode, do not disturb it until 10 mins, remove the lid and wipe off the lid, do this way for every 10 mins, until you finished off 30 mins stand by.

9) Once finished mix it up with fork and serve.

Serve with Raita and Boiled Egg (sliced round) if you wish, next bet would be Paneer dishes, it tasted great just as it is.

Tips:

Soak Chick-pea over night and boil these in pressure cooker until cooked well, but still retains it's shape.

I bought deep fried shallots 500g pack for 4$ from Toops in NZ well worth it.

Use Kohinoor Basmati.

Rice Bran oil is best for this dish. Can use 1/2 oil + 1/2 ghee for this dish.

Instead of Turmeric try adding yellow color which is mixed in little milk, add this before while adding spinach and sultanas, to give that Biriyani look.

Meanings:

Kabuli Channa = Senagalu (Telugu word)

Channa = Chick-pea or Garbanzo beans (English word)

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu