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Chickpea Biryani (Chana Biryani)

Chickpea Biryani (aka Chana Biryani) is a flavorful, mildly spicy, and delicious biryani made with white chickpeas, basmati rice, coconut milk, onion, tomatoes, herbs, and spices.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Soaking Time8 hours
Course: Dinner,, Lunch,, Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Chana Biryani, Chickpea Biryani
Servings: 2 to 4
Author: kanthi

Equipment

  • An ovenproof dish for baking in the oven

Ingredients

To Boil Chickpeas

  • 200 g chickpeas
  • Water as needed

For Chickpea Gravy

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • ½ tbsp ginger paste, or finely minced
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste, or finely minced
  • 5 curry leaves optional
  • 2- inch pandan leaf optional
  • 2 green chilies sliced
  • 3 cardamom
  • 2- inch cinnamon
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds dry roasted (optional)
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp biryani masala see the notes
  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 2 medium tomatoes chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • Cooked chickpeas previously prepared
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 250 ml coconut milk
  • Scallion finely chopped (see the notes)

For Parboil Rice

  • 300 g rice
  • 2- inch piece of pandan leaf
  • 3 cardamom
  • 2- inch piece of cinnamon
  • 3 cloves
  • Salt
  • 1 tsp cooking oil
  • Water as needed

To layer

  • Prepared parboiled rice
  • Prepared Chickpea gravy
  • 1 to 2 tbsp water
  • 3 tbsp scallions

Instructions

Prepare the Chickpeas

  • Rinse the chickpeas a few times in fresh water. Then soak them in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours. Drain all the water.
  • Cook the Chickpeas
  • Cook the chickpeas in enough water until fully cooked and softened. The time taken to cook chickpeas depends on their quality, so cook accordingly.
  • Cooked chickpeas
  • Prepare the Rice
  • Measure the rice.
  • Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs (nearly) clear. Place in a bowl and pour in cold water to cover up to 2 inches above the top and soak for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  • Drain the rice and keep it aside.
  • Parboil the Rice
  • I like to parboil the rice with some spices (cinnamon, cardamom, clove) and herbs (pandan leaf) to add flavor and aroma. However, it is optional.
  • Fill a large pot with approximately 1 liter of water. Add spices, herbs, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the soaked rice and stir it a couple of times gently with a slotted spoon to make sure the grains are not clumping together. Cook until al dente ( slightly tender but still not fully cooked) for about 10 minutes, or as needed (the cooking time varies with different types of rice).
  • Do not leave it at this stage. Watch the rice carefully, it tends to foam up and overflow. You may reduce the heat only a little bit, but will need to maintain a continuous boil. Give it a gentle stir once in a while to make sure the rice does not stick to the pan.
  • Make sure to remove the rice and drain it at the right time. Check the rice to make sure it is cooked. Take a grain and check the texture between your fingers. The par-boiled rice is ready when it is soft around the edges but still firm (not crunchy) in the center.
  • Once the rice reaches the correct texture, turn the heat off. Transfer the rice into a fine mesh strainer. Make sure to choose a colander/strainer where the holes are small so that the rice won’t escape. You can remove the spices and herbs at this stage.

Prepare the chickpea gravy

  • Heat cooking oil in a frying pan on medium heat. When hot, add mustard seeds, and fry for a few seconds until they crackle. Add ginger, garlic, pandan, curry leaves, and green chilies. Saute until fragrant and the raw aroma goes away.
  • Then add onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add the spices. Stir well until all the ingredients are well combined. Do it quickly, so that the spices do not get burnt.
  • Then add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and saute for a minute. Tomatoes prevent further browning of the spices and onions.
  • Add the soaked and drained chickpeas. Mix the chickpeas very well with the rest of the masala. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Remove one or two teaspoons of the stir-fried chickpeas with some onion and tomatoes for garnishing.
  • Add coconut milk. Mix well. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on low flame till the chickpeas absorb the flavors and the gravy thickens, stirring once in a while.
  • Turn off the heat. Add a few tablespoons of scallions and stir well.

Assemble and Bake

  • Preheat your oven to 350 F/180 C. Grease a baking dish with cooking oil or butter.
  • Spread half of the rice on the bottom and then spread the chickpea gravy on top of the rice. Spread the remaining rice over the chickpea gravy. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water evenly. Then spread some scallion and the stir-fried chickpeas kept for garnishing.
  • Cover the pan with a piece of parchment paper. And then fully covered with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven.
  • Turn off the oven and let the dish sit in the oven till you are ready to eat.
  • Mix everything and serve with a side dish of your choice.

Notes

  • When making the gravy, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon are used to improve the flavor. You can use a pinch of garam masala (about 1/8 teaspoon) as a substitute.
  • Using biryani masala is preferable but if not available, skip it or use the curry powder of your choice.
  • You can also use chopped coriander or mint leaves instead of scallions
  • Biryani rice is typically boiled in plenty of water with whole spices, herbs, oil, and salt for aroma and flavor. Using whole spices and herbs is optional. You can remove them before serving if you like but I don’t. However, do not bite them. Just put them aside. You can also wrap these spices in a muslin cloth to form a spice bag and remove the spice bag before serving.