Channa Biryani

Ingredients

Rice 1 ½ cup
Chickpeas 1 cup
Tea leaves 2 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Green cardamoms 5 – 6
Bay leaves 2 – 3
Cloves 2 – 3
Yogurt 1 ½ cup
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Ginger, cut into thin strips 1 inch piece
Mint leaves ½ cup
Green chili paste 1 tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Saffron essence ¼ tsp
Milk 1 tbsp
Kewra water a few drops
Coriander leaves, chopped ¼ cup

Method

Soak chickpeas overnight in 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. 

Soak rice 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. 

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. 

Add saffron essence 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 saffron essence and milk and half of the coriander leaves over rice. 

Cover the pan tightly and put on low heat to simmer for fifteen minutes or till rice is cooked. 

Serve hot garnished with remaining coriander leaves and mint leaves.

Channa Biryani by Zarnak Sidhwa

Zarnak's wardrobe for this episode was sponsored by Mingle Mangle.