Delhiwalas Chole Biryani

I have always wanted to prepare a Biryani with Chickpeas. My husband loves the Chole or Spiced Masala Chickpeas I prepare which is a famous street food in Delhi . You will see many merrily eat this dish called "Chole Bhature " (spiced chickpeas with fried bread) on the streets and many casual restaurants in Delhi and swear by them . It can be had 'as is' and one need not complement it with anything . One of the best Chole Bhature in Delhi can be savoured at Kwality's restaurant , Regal Building in Connaught Place, that has known to serve this delicious pair since many many years.

The Famous Chole Bhature of Kwalitys

There are many places in Delhi that one can get this mouthwatering fare and each Dehliwala would be able to tell you their favourite haunts . So here is a recipe you can prepare as a meal for a holiday lunch Inspired from Archana's Kitchen blog .

Ingredients :

1 cup Rice , washed and soaked

1 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds

1 clove Cloves (Laung)

1 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)

1 Bay leaf (tej patta)

1/2 cup Milk

1 1/2 cup Water

1 teaspoon Ghee

Salt , Salt to taste

For the fried onions

1/2 cup Onions , sliced 2 teaspoons Cooking oil

For roasted potatoes

1 Potato , cut into cubes & soaked in salt water 1/2 teaspoon Dry Mango Powder (Amchur) 1/2 teaspoon Red chilli powder 1/2 Cumin powder (Jeera)

To be mixed into the rice 1/4 cup Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , chopped 1/4 cup Mint Leaves (Pudina)

For the Channa/ Chickpea Masala

1 cup Kabuli Chana (White Chickpeas) , washed and soaked overnight. 6 cloves Garlic ,minced 1 inch Ginger , minced 1 Green Chilli , minced

2 tsp channa masala 1/4 cup Yogurt , whisked

or if you dont have channa masala :

1 teaspoon Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon Red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

1 Tomatoes , finely chopped or 2 tblsp tomato paste 1 tablespoon Ghee Salt , to taste

To prepare :

For the fried onions:

1. In a wok or kadai, heat oil on medium flame, add the sliced onions and fry them until they turn into a deep brown colour. This will take around 10 minutes . Do so on low heat .

2. Once done, drain it on absorbent paper and set aside.

For the roasted potatoes

1. In the same utensil add some more oil and pan roast potatoes until it gets a light brown colour.

2. Sprinkle some salt and a pinch of turmeric powder.

3. Drain the roasted potatoes in absorbent paper and transfer it into a bowl.

4. Sprinkle the cumin powder, red chilli powder and dry mango powder and toss.

For the Rice

1. In a pan, heat ghee on medium flame, add cardamom, clove, bayleaf, cinnamon, and salt. Add the milk and water and bring to a rolling boil.

2. When it starts to boil, reduce the flame add the drained rice, cover and cook until the moisture is fully absorbed.

3. Alternatively , you can put the milk -water mixture in a rice cooker and cook the rice with it .1 cup rice means double the amount of water .

4. Transfer the rice into a mixing bowl and allow it to cool and add the coriander leaves, mint

leaves, fried onions and potatoes. Give it a good mix.

For the Chole Masala

1. Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight.

2. In a pressure cooker, add the chickpeas, and one cup of water with salt. Pressure cook for 6 whistles, and turn down the flame and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.

3. Turn off the flame and allow the pressure to release naturally. Drain the chickpeas from its water and set aside.

or simply boil the Chickpeas in water till soft if you don't have a pressure cooker.

4. In a pan heat ghee, on low flame, add minced ginger,garlic and green chili and saute for a couple of minutes. Then increase the flame to medium heat and add the tomatoes or paste and cover and cook.

5.The tomatoes will take about 5 minutes to soften. Once they have softened, add the dry masalas i.e garam masala, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt or the channa masala. Mix well.

6. At this stage reduce the flame and add the yoghurt and the drained boiled chickpeas.

7. There should be semi dry masala gravy , not be too thick or too watery.

To assemble Chole biryani recipe

1.Grease a large round glass bowl with ghee, sprinkle some coriander leaves, put a layer of the rice and press it down with the back of the ladle.

2. Next add a layer of the chole masala. Repeat the layers till the bowl is full. You need press down each layer. The final layer of the biryani must be rice.

3. Once each of those layers are pressed down well, place a plate upside down over the bowl and over turn it. You will get a chole biryani dome on your plate. If you have to re heat it , do make sure you sprinkle some water over the dome and hear in the microwave .

Serve with Dahi burani or Garlic yogurt . Just add finely chopped onions , minced garlic to whisked yoghurt. Season with salt or cumin powder and red chilli powder .

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