Chole Biryani - Chana Biryani | Chickpeas Biryani

Chole biryani with step by step photos 

Chole biryani or chana biriyani is a vegetarian version of Indian biriyani recipe.  It is aromatic, spicy and dum cooked biryani. Usually biriyani is made with chicken, mutton, mixed vegetables etc. Still there is one more tasty biriyani for vegetarians, the chickpea biriyani or chana biriyani. Biriyani with chickpeas, sound a little bit strange, but trust me it is awesome. I think, this biriyani is not that much popular in south India, am I right?

Chole biryani preparation is very simple. The chickpeas cooked in common Indian spices and layered with aromatic basmati rice, which is then dum cooked to get delicious, mildly spicy biriyani. You can use the common dum process. But I used the easiest method of dum cooking, but not the traditional one.

I am not using any curd or coconut in this recipe, If you want, you can surely incorporate this just like other biriyani recipes. In spite of the use of curd and coconut, this recipe gives a really tasty biriyani.

Chole biryani - tips

1. You can combine cooked chickpeas with the gravy, but I prefer to cook chickpeas  within  the biriyani spices itself. Because by doing so, the chickpeas absorb the spices well and results better taste.
2. I didn't use any curd or coconut in this recipe, if you need you can add.

If you are looking for more rice recipes, then do check Ghee rice, vegetable pulao, Green Peas pulao, bagara khana,  Malabar style chicken biriyani and Egg biriyani, Kerala meat rice

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Chole biryani | Chana biryani | Veg biryani recipe

Chickpeas in aromatic rice

Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 45 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

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Ingredients

To cook chick peas (Chana or vella kadala)

• 3/4 cup chick peas / chana / chole / vella kadala
• 3 medium onions, sliced
• 3 green chilies
• 2" piece ginger
• 7 to 8 garlic cloves
• 1 big tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon biryani masala
• 3 tablespoon ghee
• 2 teaspoon mint leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoon coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cups of water

To cook rice

• 1 1/2 cup rice
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 to 5 cardamom
• 1" piece cinnamon
• 5 cloves
• 1 mace
• Salt 
• Water as needed

To layer

• 2 to 3 tablespoons of birista
• 3 tablespoons of chopped mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves
• 4 to 5 drops of pineapple essence / biryani essence

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Kabooli Chana biriyani with step by step photos

1. Soak 3/4 cup chick peas overnight or for 7 to 8 hours in normal water. Then strain and keep aside.
   
   
2. Then soak rice for 20 to 30 minutes before starting the preparation. Later strain and keep aside.

For rice

1. Heat about 5 cups of water in a pan or pot, when  water became hot, then add whole spice (1 bay leaf, 4 cardamom, 1" pieces of cinnamon, 5 cloves and 1 mace.  Crush before use.  Add salt as required.
   
2. When the water starts to boil on high flame, add the soaked, stained rice.
   
3. Cook till the rice became 3/4 cooked. Switch off the flame, drain and keep aside.
   

For the gravy for the biryani

1. While the rice is soaked in water, you can prepare the masala gravy. Heat 3 teaspoon of ghee in a pan and saute onion in medium flame till they turn golden brown. 
   
2. Remove one or two teaspoons of it for garnishing (You can check my post barista or fried onions for more details).
   
3. Meanwhile, crush 7 to 8 garlic cloves, 1" piece ginger and 3 green chilies. (You can grind to a paste also)
   
4. Combine this with the browned onion. Also add in one large tomato chopped and saute till the raw smell of ginger and garlic leaves and the tomatoes turned soft. Notes: Tomatoes and the ground paste are added together to prevent further browning of the onions.)
   
5. Now add in all the spice powders like 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder,1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder,1 teaspoon coriander powder,1 teaspoon biryani masala and saute for a few more minutes.
   
6. Combine chickpeas, 2 teaspoons of chopped mint leaves and 2 teaspoons of chopped coriander leaves and one and half cup of water and cook for about 4 to 5 whistles till the chick peas cooked well and turn soft.
   
7. Once the pressure settles down on its own, add salt as required.
   
8. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on low flame till the chickpeas absorbs salt and the gravy thickens. 
   

For layering the biriyani 

1. Spread all the rice over the chickpea gravy and also add barista, mint leaves, coriander leaves and also a few drops of pineapple essence.
   
2. Remove the vent weight and close the pressure cooker. Place the cooker on an iron skillet and keep on low flame for about 15 to 20 minutes. 
   
3. Open the lid only when you want to serve  Mix everything well and serve with raita and pickle.
   

Happy cooking

Anju