Kala Chana Pulao (One Pot Black Chickpeas Pilaf)
Kala Chana Pulao is a flavorful one-pot rice dish made with cooked black chickpeas, basmati rice, vegetables, mint, and simple Indian spices.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups black chickpeas cooked kala chana
- 1.5 cups water Use 1.5 cups for Instant Pot and 2 cups for stovetop method.
- 1 cup green beans chopped
- 1 cup carrots chopped
- ¾ cup onion
- ½ cup mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon green chili crushed or roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon oil
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the Instant Pot using sauté mode or in a stovetop pot. Add the onion and cook until it browns. I like to give the onions enough time to develop some color because this step adds good flavor to the finished rice.2 tsp oil, ¾ cup onion
- Add the chopped ginger and garlic. Stir them into the onions.1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp garlic
- Now add the chopped carrots and green beans. Mix the vegetables so they pick up the onion mixture.1 cup green beans, 1 cup carrots
- Add the cooked black chickpeas, green chili paste, salt, and spices. Stir gently until the chickpeas and vegetables are coated with the spices.2 cups black chickpeas, 1 tsp green chili , 1 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp garam masala powder, 1.5 tsp salt
- Add the mint leaves and mix again. The mint may look like a lot when it first goes into the pot, but it softens during cooking and blends into the pulao.½ cup mint leaves
- Add the rinsed basmati rice. Mix gently so the rice spreads through the chickpeas and vegetables without breaking the long grains. This gentle mixing helps keep the finished pulao light instead of mashed.1 cup basmati rice
- For the Instant Pot, add 1.5 cups water for 1 cup of rice. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Release the pressure according to your Instant Pot's safe operating instructions, then open the lid and fluff the pulao gently.1.5 cups water
- For the stovetop, add 2 cups water for 1 cup of rice. Let the water come to a boil. Once it starts boiling, close the lid and cook on medium flame until all the water is absorbed. This took around 12 minutes in my kitchen. Open the pot and fluff the rice gently before serving.
Notes
Tested Tips from My Kitchen
- Brown the onions when you have time. Browning adds more flavor to the rice. On rushed days, I sauté the onions for a couple of minutes and continue.
- Use the correct water quantity. Use 1.5 cups of water for the Instant Pot and 2 cups of water for the stovetop for 1 cup of basmati rice in this recipe.
- Rinse the rice first. Rinse the basmati rice for a couple of minutes before adding it to the pot.
- Use cooked kala chana. The recipe starts with 2 cups cooked black chickpeas.
- Save the kala chana cooking liquid if you like. I sometimes use it instead of plain water. The pulao tastes good, but the finished rice becomes darker.
- Change the vegetables when needed. Potatoes, green peas, and sweet corn also work well along with carrots and beans.
- Adjust the chili without changing the rest of the recipe. Replace 1 teaspoon green chili paste with ½ teaspoon red chilli powder if needed.
- Mix the rice gently. Gentle stirring helps keep the long basmati grains from breaking.
- Watch the stovetop water. Once the water boils, close the lid and cook on medium flame until the liquid is absorbed. It took around 12 minutes for me.
- Use the tested Instant Pot setting. Cook the pulao for 5 minutes on high pressure.
Nutrition
Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 921mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5801IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg
