Hare Chane Ka Pulao (Green Chickpea Pulao)

Fresh Green Chickpea (Hara Chana) is high in flavor but seasonal. You can use dry Hara Chana instead if you are ready to compromise with the flavor and taste.

Dry Hara Chana (Green Chickpea) is available in Grocery Stores. Just soak them in water overnight and boil them to use in Curry or Pulao form.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Rice
• ½ cup Fresh Green Chickpea (Hara Chana)
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
• ¼ tsp Asafetida (optional)
• ½” piece of Cinnamon stick
• 2 Cloves
• 2 green Cardamoms
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 small Onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Ginger finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 3 tbsp Ghee or Butter
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped Cilantro leaves

Method:

• Soak rice for 4-5 hrs.
• Heat ghee in a thick bottom pan or pressure cooker. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamoms and cumin seeds. Fry for few seconds.
• Add chopped onions, chopped ginger and fry till soft.
• Stir in fresh green chickpeas and fry till half tender.
• Add asafetida and then soaked rice. Stir fry for another couple of minutes.
• Finally add four cups of water when cooking in the pan. Rice needs less water when cooked in pressure cooker. The amount of water depends upon the variety of rice. Usually it is just double the amount of rice. Add salt and lime juice, mix well. Cook till the rice is done.
• Garnish with nuts and chopped coriander.
• Serve with Raita, Chutney or Pickle.

Pods of Green Chickpeas

Fresh Green Chickpeas

Do You Know?

Although there are many variations on the Pulao theme, but rice is always the main component.

A pulao may simply be rice fried in ghee with whole spices and cooked in stock or incorporated with vegetables / chicken / seafood / lamb / lentils.

When spiced rice and savory meats or vegetables are combined in layers and finished by steaming or baking, Pulao tastes like Biryani.