Chana biryani is an aromatic, spiced and delicious dum cooked and layered biryani made with white chickpeas, basmati rice, coconut milk, onion, tomatoes, herbs and spices.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 45 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 75 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Hyderabadi, South Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds ((shahi jeera))
  • 2 to 3 green cardamoms
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 1.5 inch cinnamon
  • 1 tej patta ((Indian bay leaf))
  • 2 to 3 cloves
  • 1 cup thinly sliced onions (- 160 grams onions or 2 large onions)
  • ½ cup chopped tomatos (- 100 grams tomatoes or 1 large tomato)
  • ½ tablespoon finely chopped ginger (- 5 grams or 1 inch ginger)
  • ½ tablespoon finely chopped garlic (- 5 grams or 8-10 medium sized garlic cloves)
  • 2 to 3 green chilies (slit or sliced diagonally)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder ((ground coriander))
  • 1 cup dried white chickpeas ((chole or chana) - 200 grams chana, soaked overnight in enough water)
  • 2.25 cups water (for pressure cooking chana gravy)
  • salt (as required)
  • ¾ to 1 cup Coconut Milk (or about 200 to 250 ml coconut milk)
  • 1 cup basmati rice (- heaped, 200 grams)
  • 3 cups water (- for cooking rice)
  • 2 to 3 green cardamoms
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 1 to 1.5 inch cinnamon ((dalchini))
  • 2 to 3 single strands of mace
  • 1 tej patta ((Indian bay leaf))
  • 3 cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt (or add as required)
  • ½ cup chopped mint leaves (- 10 grams)
  • ½ cup chopped coriander leaves (- 10 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons ginger julienne
  • 1 tablespoon warm water (+ 1 pinch of saffron strands)
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons rose water (or kewra water (pandanus water))

Method

Preparation

  1. Rinse 1 cup white chickpeas a few times in fresh water. Then soak them in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours. Later drain all the water, rinse the chickpeas and keep aside.
  2. Soak 1 cup heaped basmati rice in enough water for 30 minutes. Later strain the rice and keep aside.
  3. Heat 3 cups water in a pan or pot. When the water become hot, add the following spices - green cardamoms, black cardamom, cinnamon, strands of mace, tej patta and cloves.
  4. Add salt as required.
  5. Bring the water to a rolling boil on high heat.
  6. Then add the soaked rice.
  7. Cook the rice grains on high heat.
  8. When the rice grains are 75% cooked or there is a slight bite in them, then switch off the heat.
  9. Immediately strain the cooked rice. Keep aside.

Making chana gravy for biryani

  1. So when the rice grains are getting soaked and cooking, you can prepare the chana gravy.
  2. Heat oil and add these spices - shahi jeera, green cardamoms, black cardamom, cinnamon, tej patta and cloves.
  3. Saute the spices for a few seconds till they splutter.
  4. Then add thinly sliced onions. Stir and mix very well.
  5. Saute the onions stirring often on a low to medium heat.
  6. For a quick cooking of the onions, add a pinch of salt.
  7. Saute till the onions become golden.
  8. Switch off the heat and take half of the fried onions in a plate.
  9. Add finely chopped ginger, finely chopped garlic and green chilies (sliced).
  10. Switch on the burner and saute for some seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
  11. Then add chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute.
  12. Next add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder.
  13. Stir and mix the spice powders very well with the rest of the ingredients.
  14. Add the soaked and drained chickpeas.
  15. Mix the chickpeas very well with the rest of the masala.
  16. Add 2.25 cups water. Season with salt.
  17. Pressure cook the chickpeas on medium to high heat for 18 to 20 minutes.
  18. When the pressure falls down on its own, then only remove the lid and check the chickpeas. They should be cooked well and softened.
  19. Do note that the chickpeas should not have a bite to them. If not cooked well, then pressure cook for a few more whistles. The time taken to cook chickpeas, depends on their quality, so cook accordingly.
  20. Then add ¾ to 1 cup thick coconut milk (200 to 250 ml). Stir and mix very well. Check the salt in the chana gravy and if required add more.
  21. When the chickpeas are cooking, warm 1 tbsp water and add a pinch of saffron strands. Stir and keep aside. You can also use milk instead of water.

Assembling and making chana biryani

  1. Add ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves, ¼ cup chopped mint leaves and 1 teaspoon ginger julienne to the chickpeas gravy.
  2. Layer with all of the rice.
  3. Next top with the fried onions.
  4. Then layer with ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves, ¼ cup chopped mint leaves and 1 teaspoon ginger julienne.
  5. Sprinkle the saffron dissolved water evenly.
  6. Now place a moist kitchen towel on the pressure cooker.
  7. Place a tight lid. Keep the cooker on a heated tawa/griddle.
  8. Dum cook the biryani for 25 to 30 minutes on a low heat. Give a resting time of 5 to 7 minutes.
  9. Later serve chole biryani with a raita, salad or biryani shorba.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.