Channa Pulav

This is a protein packed pulav cooked with spices and greens. I had a sudden craving for channa and wanted to make something different from usual. Till i got down to make this, I had no definite recipe in mind. :) Lemme brief how I decided on the recipe.

Just raided my fridge and found mint,cilantro and tomatoes. So decided to use them in my recipe. Jeera and ghee are must-adds for any pulav. I just love the aroma while seasoning jeera in ghee and frying lengthwise chopped onions along with green chillies. I didn't want the chopped tomatoes in my pulav and so decided to grind them. When I pressure cooked the channa, I got reminded of the fresh potatoes which I bought the day before and decided to add them too. Sometimes, I add boiled potatoes in my chole masala and I love the combination. Actually I don't like to have a lot of mint in my food since it has a pungent smell. So I just added 5 to 10 leaves.
Coming to spices, I always prefer red chillies to green chillies and not particularly like the flavour of cinnamon. So just added cloves. When I opened my fridge to take out the curd, chole masala got my attention. An idea struck and I decided to add it too. Thus, originated the recipe.

Now, for the verdict. The pulav tasted sooooo tasty. I should mention something here. Normally, when I cook with no definite recipe in mind and just keep adding on the ingredients, the outcome is better than religiously following an authentic recipe. Hope, you don't conclude that I have a poor grasping power! Instead, I would be more than glad if you acknowledge my creative power :D Well, I am trying to be defensive here.

Ingredients:

Basmathi Rice - 1 cup
Boiled Channa - 1/2 to 1 cup (Soak Kabuli Channa overnight and pressure cook with water and turmeric)
1 boiled potato (Peel the skin and cut into small cubes)
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 medium chopped lengthwise
Jeera - 2 tsp
Slit green chilli - 1
Chole Masala - 1.5 tsp
Ghee - 3 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt to taste
To grind into a smooth paste
Tomato - 1
Mint leaves - 5 to 10
Cilantro - a handful or more if you like
Red Chillies - 2
Cloves - 2
Garlic - 2 pods

Method:

1. Soak the rice with 1.5times water for 10 min. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan, fry the rice without breaking it and cook with the soaked water under a lid. Add salt when half cooked and cook till done.
2. When the rice gets cooked, get ready with the ground paste, chopped onions, cut potatos and channa.
3. Spread the cooked rice in a plate.
4. Heat the remaining ghee and oil in a pan, season with jeera. Fry the onions and green chillies.
5. Add the ground paste and cook well.
6. Add potatos, channa and a little water. Add salt (salt is already added to rice) and chole masala.
7. Let the water and masala get absorbed by the channa. Switch off and cool a bit.
8. Mix the rice and reheat once.
9. Garnish with tomato ring and chopped coriander.

Serve hot with curd/raitha.