Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Chana Biryani | Chickpeas Pulao

Chickpeas Pulao / Chana Biryani, a delicious and flavorful one pot rice recipe made from chickpeas, basmati rice and exotic Indian spices.

This is one of our family favorite recipes to pack it for lunchbox or one day picnic. This biryani tastes great even when we serve it cold. That makes it ideal for packing.

Today, in this recipe, i have used very less spices since i have been serving the same for my kid. If your family loves spicy food, then you can add more red chili and garam masala powder as per your family needs.

Basmati Rice

I have tried this biryani with both basmati and seeraga samba rice . When it comes to chicken or mutton biryani, i usually prefer seeraga samba rice because of its flavor.

But for this biryani, I really can't pick one. Both taste good in their own way. So use whatever rice you like for biryani.

Chickpeas

Make sure to soak the chickpeas well. Well soaked chickpeas only cook at the same time when the rice cooks. Undercooked chickpeas totally spoil this biryani. So it's really important to soak the chickpeas overnight whether you're making this biryani in the morning for a lunch box or in the afternoon for lunch.

Ok, now let's check out on how to make this delicious chickpeas biryani.

Chana Biryani | Chickpeas Pulao

Preparation Time : 8 hrs | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2
Recipe Category: Biryani | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 1/2 cup

Chickpeas/Kondakadalai/Chana - 1/4 cup

Onion(small) -1

Tomato(medium) - 1

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Coriander leaves & mint - a handful

Oil - 1 & 1/2 tbsp

Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

Cloves - 4

Cardamom - 1

Water - 3/4 cup

Procedure

Soak the chickpeas overnight and soak the basmati rice for 20 mins. Heat a pressure cooker with oil and add the cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom. Saute it in the oil for 30 secs.

Then add the thinly sliced onion and saute till the onions are translucent.

Next add the finely chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and ginger garlic paste one by one.

Saute till they are aromatic and then add the roughly chopped tomatoes and all the spices(Turmeric, Red Chili and Garam Masala powder) and salt.

Saute the tomatoes till they are mushy and oil separates from the sides. Next add the soaked chickpeas and give a good mix.

Then add the water and bring to a boil. Drain the water from the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water.

Gently mix the rice and then put the lid and whistle on to the pressure cooker. Cook it for 3 whistles in medium flame.

Once the pressure released from the pressure cooker naturally, open the lid and gently fluff it up

Delicious and flavorful Chana Biryani is ready ! Serve it with your favorite raita.

Related: How to make Vegetable Dum Biryani

Notes:

It makes a excellent lunch box recipe.
Instead of basmati rice, you can use seeraga samba rice also for this rice.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Black Chana Masala | Chick Peas Curry | Chana Masala

Chana Masala, a chickpeas curry in onion tomato masala.As i have already shared the basic onion tomato masala that you can use in variety of India Curries as base masala. Here in the recipe, i have used the same recipe of base masala and make this chana masala and it turns out super delicious.It goes very well with roti, chapathi or with any Indian flat breads.

Even without coconut or cream, this curry turned out so creamy, if you like chana masala with coconut, then check out the delicious kadala curry here. As i have already mentioned in my onion tomato masala post, you can prepare & store this masala ahead of time,at the time of need, bring the masala to boil and add cooked chana,that's it,your chana masala is ready.

Chana Masala

Preparation Time : 8 hrs for soaking | Cooking Time : 30 mins | Serves : 4
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Black Chana - 1/2 cup
Onion(large) - 1
Tomato(medium) - 2
Garlic - 5 pods
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Cumin seed - 1/4 tsp
Fennel seed - 1/4 tsp
Cashew - 5
Oil - 2 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Procedure

Soak the chana for overnight or atleast 8 hrs and put it in pressure cooker along with 1/4 tsp of salt & water(just to immerse the chana) and cook it for 3 whistles & keep it aside until use. It should be mushy when pressed it with fingers.

Peel the onions,garlic & ginger and chop them along with tomato roughly into pieces. Heat the pan with 1 tsp of oil, add the cumin & fennel seed let it fry in oil for 30 secs.

Then add the onions, ginger & garlic along with 1/4 tsp of salt and saute till the onions become translucent.

Then add the cashews and tomato and saute till the tomato becomes mushy.Switch off the flame and let it cool completely.

Put the onion & tomato masala into mixie/blender jar and grind them into smooth paste. Heat the pan with remaining oil and add the whole spices(cinnamon, cloves and cardamom),let it fry in oil for 30 secs.

Then add the masala paste and spice powder(turmeric, red chili & coriander powder) and salt.

If needed add some water and cover the pan with lid and cook for 8-10 mins in medium flame. By the time, the raw smell of the masala is gone,open the lid and keep in low flame until the oil separates on the top. Finally add the garam masala & mix well.(That's it, this is your base masala,you can store this for later use too.)

Now add the chana along with the cooked water(transfer the masala to bigger pot for easy stirring) and let it be in flame for 5 mins,finally add coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

That's it,Tasty & Creamy Chana masala is ready.

Notes:

Cook the masala till oil separates before adding chana.
Chana should be mushy when pressed between fingers.
If the tomatoes have more tartness, add a tsp of sugar in the masala to balance the gravy.
Use well ripe tomatoes and good quality chili powder to get bright colors.

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Tuesday, March 17, 2026