Kabuli Chana Pulao

Ingredients:

Rice: a cup

Kabuli chana: 1/2 cup

Cooking oil: 2 tsp.

Bay leaf: 1

Black peppercorns: a few

Cloves: 2

Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp.

Onion paste of one onion

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsp.

Tomato puree of one tomato

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.

1. Soak the chana in water overnight or for at least 8-10 hours, they will double in size. Wash and pressure cook with 2 cups water till they are soft. Let the pressure settle and then open the pressure cooker. Don't throw the water.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf and sauté them. Add the onion paste and mix well. Let cook until the paste starts browning and leaving oil on the edges. 
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for two minutes. Add the tomato puree and add salt, red chilli and a pinch of garam masala (optional). Mix well and fry until the tomatoes are cooked and the masala leaves oil on the sides. 
4. Now strain the boiled chana in a separate bowl and measure the water remaining in the pressure cooker. 2 cups water is needed to add to cook the rice, so discard more than two cups, if it is less, make up by adding more hot water to the pan with the cooked masala and mix well.
5. Add the washed rice to the pan and mix well. Cover and let cook until the rice are 90% done on medium flame. Now open cover and mix the boiled chana along and cover again for 5 minutes. 
6. Turn off the heat and remain covered. Open after 10 minutes and garnish with coriander leaves (optional) and serve hot !!