I have many many recipe books. So many, that I can start a library with them. Earlier when I used to visit bookshops, I used to go directly to the cookery books section. Comics, Classics, Fiction – everything was given a miss.

This went on for a long time, and finally it came to a point where hubby refused to take me to bookshops! His reason was valid – there were so many cookbooks at home and yet I keep buying more. And worse, I don’t use them much!

So now, thanks to the free recipes accompanied by beautiful pictures in blogs and the internet, the book-buying craze has come down. And now, I concentrate more on cooking from the books I have!

Chana pulav is from one of the cookbook collection. Its a perfect lunchbox recipe and its perfect for this week’s Blogging Marathon theme too.

Check out the other Blogging Marathon participants for more recipes and more themes.

Recipe Source:  Mallika Badrinath’s ‘Rice Delights’ book

Serves : 2-3

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice                                               :          1 cup
• White kabuli Chana                                   :          1/2 cup
• Onions                                                          :         2
• Tomatoes                                                      :          3 big
• Kasuri methi                                                :           1 tbsp
• garam masala powder                               :            1/2 tsp
• Bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves             :            1-2 each, optional
• ghee                                                              :             1 tbsp

to grind:

• pearl onions             : 10 (I used 1 big onion)
• red chilies                 :  4-5 (or per taste)
• Cumin seeds             :  1 tsp
• Garlic                         :   4-5 flakes
• Coconut                     :    2 tbsp (I added this, but felt it would be better to skip)

Method:

1. Wash and soak chana overnight and pressure cook for 6-7 whistles or until cooked thoroughly. Keep aside.
2. Wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes. Grind the three tomatoes into a puree. Grind the items in the ‘to grind’ list into a smooth paste. Keep aside.
3. Heat ghee. Add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves. Add onions and garlic and saute till brown. Add the ground onion-coconut masala paste. Fry for 3-4 minutes, until the raw smell goes away.
4. Add the tomato puree, garam masala powder, kasori methi, salt and chana. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
5. Drain water from the rice and add it. Add one cup of water (tomato puree + water = 2 cups, double that of rice) and cover and cook till rice is done. I usually transfer the rice to a pressure cooker or rice cooker at this stage.
6. Serve with a simple raita.

Linked to:

• Blogging Marathon, under Cooking with Chana Dal theme
• Susan’s MLLA, hosted this month by Simone of Briciole
• Swati’s Favorite Recipes, hosted by Amrita of Sweet n Savory