Chole Biryani

Punjabi food is wholesome and full of rustic flavour. The custom of cooking in community ovens or tandoors prevails in rural pockets even today. The cuisine is characterised by a profusion of dairy products in the form of malai, paneer and dahi. The dals are a speciality of this type of cuisine, made of whole pulses like black gram, green gram and Bengal gram. They are cooked on slow fire, often simmered for hours till they turn creamy and then flavoured with spices and rounded off with malai for that rich finish. The food is simply delicious.

The most unique thing about cooking in a tandoor is the smoky flavour that the food gets making it tastier. Moreover it is a healthy way of cooking since minimum fat is required and the food generally gets cooked in its own juices thus retaining its natural flavours. Besides it is not only easy to digest, it is also very hygienic. In conclusion one can safely say that it is through tandoori cooking that Indian cuisine first got globally acknowledged.

Ingredients

• Chickpeas (kabuli chana) 1 cup
• Basmati rice 1 1/2 cups
• Tea leaves 2 tablespoons
• Salt to taste
• Green cardamoms 5-6
• Bay leaves 2-3
• Cloves 2-3
• Skimmed milk yogurt 1 1/2 cups
• Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
• Ginger cut into thin strips 1 inch piece
• Fresh mint leaves hand torn 1/2 cup
• Green chilli paste 1 teaspoon
• Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
• Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon
• Garlic paste 1 teaspoon
• Saffron (kesar) a few strands
• Skimmed milk warm 1 tablespoon
• Kewra water a few drops
• Fresh coriander leaves chopped 1/4 cup

Step by Steps

Step 1

Soak kabuli chana overnight in four cups of water. Drain and pressure cook in four cups of water with salt and tea leaves tied in a piece of muslin cloth, till tender. Remove the muslin cloth bag and drain chickpeas.

Step 2

Soak rice in three cups of water for about half an hour. Drain. Boil four cups of water in a deep pan with salt and green cardamoms, bay leaves and cloves. Add rice and cook till half done. Drain excess water.

Step 3

Marinate boiled chickpeas in yogurt, ginger paste, ginger julienne, half of the mint leaves, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala power and garlic paste.

Step 4

Dissolve saffron in warm milk and mix in kewra water. Place the marinated chickpeas in a deep non-stick pan. Spread cooked rice over the chickpeas evenly. Sprinkle dissolved saffron and half of the coriander leaves over rice.

Step 5

Cover the pan tightly and put on low heat for fifteen minutes or till rice is cooked. Serve hot garnished with remaining coriander leaves and mint leaves.

Tips

• Coconut milk can be substituted with 1 cup fresh curd.
• Substitute caraway seeds with cumin seeds.
• Dry fruits like cashews, almonds and raisins can also be added.
• Ghee can be used instead of oil.