Chana Dal Pulao
Chana dal also known as Split Bengal gram, is one of the most protein rich lentil used in Indian cuisine.
A pulao is a dish consisting of rice and a mixture of either lentils or vegetables, mainly including peas, potatoes, french beans, carrots or meat, mainly chicken, fish, lamb, pork or prawn.
Chana dal pulao or Split Bengal gram pulao is a protein rich rice dish, easy to make and it taste very good. It goes very well with raita or yogurt (curd).
My mother used to cook this on Diwali dinner, as this is one of our family favourites. Also we ate lots of sweets in Diwali and this is a light and yummy dish which we enjoyed together in dinner. Normally we ate it with yogurt/curd and onion salad. It's simple and easy to cook and very delicious.
You can have this as such without curd/yogurt. It's a good option for lunch box or for lunch and dinner.
I got the recipe of this from my mother. It requires very few ingredients and cooking time is less.
It goes very well with raita (boondi or cucumber or onion and tomato raita) or yogurt/curd and with onion salad and/or pickle.
Recipe Servings: 4
Cooking time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients
- Rice (uncooked) - 1 cup
- Chana Dal (Split Bengal gram) - 1/2 cup
- Oil - 2 tbsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Onion (finely sliced) - 1
- Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
- Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Water (to cook rice) - 2.25 cups
Preparation
- Wash rice and Split Bengal gram (chana dal) separately until the water runs clear. Soak them for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker on a medium flame and add cumin seeds into it. Let them crackle.
- Then add finely sliced onions and sauté till the onions gets translucent. Stir in between so that they won't burn.
- Drain out water from the already soaked rice and split bengal gram and add them into the pressure cooker.
- Then add salt (to taste), red chilli powder, black pepper powder and water and mix it well.
- Pressure cook on high flame. When the steam starts to escape from the valve, switch it to the medium flame and let it cook for 4 whistles or for 7 minutes.
- Then switch off the flame. When the pressure drops on its own, open the lid and give a gentle stir.
- Chana dal pulao is ready to serve.
- Serve hot with yogurt or raita, onion salad and pickle.
- Enjoy with your loved ones.
