Pakub

Quick Indian recipes for weeknights

Indian Recipes

Kabuli Chana Pulao (Chickpeas and Rice)

Chana Pulao is a simple one pot dish that’s flavored with lots of spices so that every bite is a riot! Serve this with raita or your favorite curry for an easy, vegetarian dinner

Jump to the recipe
Kabuli Chana Pulao (Chickpeas and Rice)
Kabuli Chana Pulao served in a bowl with onions and a salad

One pot recipes are such a lifesaver these days. Especially with our 3 month old daughter Mahi in the mix. Hustle has a different meaning now. So whenever I cook, I’m always thinking of maximizing flavor and nutrition with minimal prep and cooking.

Kabuli chana pulao fits the bill so perfectly. Chickpeas are full of protein and I love their creamy texture when they are cooked properly. But it can also get a little heavy on its own. Which is why I also like adding vegetables to the mix. I’ve used carrots, potatoes and cauliflower this time, but beans, mushrooms, paneer also work really well in this pulao.

Kabuli chana pulao cooked in a pot

Chickpeas and rice is a classic combination. Chana masala and chhole aloo taste best when they are paired with some steamed or jeera rice. That was basically our inspiration when we were testing this recipe out. As you read the recipe, the list of spices and ingredients might seem a little long, but since this is one pot, the spices help add a ton of flavor to this dish. And you know, we don’t do bland food.

Canned chickpeas vs. dried chickpeas

In India, we are not big fans of canned food. And except sweet corn and condensed milk, I don’t remember ever seeing canned stuff in the kitchen. Which is why the chickpeas used in this recipe were cooked from scratch. I soak dried chickpeas overnight and then pressure cook them till they are cooked. To save time, you can cook a batch every week and store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days. But if you don’t want to take the effort, feel free to substitute with canned chickpeas. Just make sure to drain all the liquid and give them a quick rinse.

Kabuli Chana Pulao served in a bowl with onions and a salad

Chana Pulao Serving Suggestions

Since this chana pulao has so much flavor on its own, I recommend pairing this with a simple vegetable raita or even some greek yogurt with cumin and salt. The raita adds a cooling effect to the spices and also helps digest the chickpeas easier.

Got Leftover Rice? Whip up some of these recipes:

The recipe

Kabuli Chana Pulao

Kabuli Chana Pulao is a one pot recipe where spices, chickpeas and rice are cooked together till the rice is fluffy. It's a delicious weeknight dinner that doesn't take long to cook and tastes best when paired with raita.

  • Serves 4 Portions
  • Prep 10 minutes
  • Cook 30 minutes
  • Total 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Basmati Rice (long grain)
  • 2 tablespoon Ghee / Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds / Jeera
  • 1 pinch Asafoetida / Hing
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds / Methi dana
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds / Rai
  • 1 teaspoon Nigella Seeds / Kalonji
  • 1 teaspoon Fennel / Saunf
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 2 Green Cardamoms
  • 2 2 Cinnamon Sticks
  • 1 cup Onions (sliced)
  • 2 teaspoon Ginger - Garlic Paste
  • 1 cup Chickpeas or Kabuli Chana (boiled)
  • 1 Potato (diced into cubes (medium))
  • 1/2 cup Carrot (diced)
  • 1/2 cup Cauliflower Florets
  • 1/2 cup Tomato (chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder or Haldi
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
  • 2 tablespoon Coriander (freshly chopped)

Method

  1. 1

    Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes.

  2. 2

    Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds and fennel and let the seeds crackle.

  3. 3

    Next add bay leaf, cardamoms and cinnamon and fry for a few seconds. Add the onions and fry till they are slightly brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 1/2 a minute stirring continuously.

  4. 4

    Add boiled chickpeas along with potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and salt and cook for two minutes stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, turmeric and chilli powder and cook for another minute or two. Next add the soaked rice and 2 cups of water. Also add the garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Give this a quick stir.

  5. 5

    Once the rice comes to a boil, lower the heat and cook covered till the rice is done and all the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat. Fluff rice with a fork. Serve hot garnished with the chopped coriander.

Notes

Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas can be used in this recipe. Just drain off all the liquid and give them a quick rinse before adding them to the pot Rice: You can substitute short grained rice for basmati rice. The cooking time will have to be adjusted Vegetables: Apart from the vegetables mentioned above, beans, mushrooms, paneer also taste great in this pulao Water: To add more flavor, you can use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water Vegan Chana Pulao: To make this recipe vegan, use oil instead of ghee

Nutrition

  • Calories 399 kcal
  • Carbohydrates 69 g
  • Protein 10 g
  • Fat 10 g
  • Saturated Fat 5 g
  • Cholesterol 19 mg
  • Sodium 905 mg
  • Potassium 614 mg
  • Fiber 9 g
  • Sugar 6 g
  • Vitamin A 2916 IU
  • Vitamin C 24 mg
  • Calcium 96 mg
  • Iron 3 mg

Eight more recipes

Other dishes from the same kitchen.