Channa Pulao

Ingredients:

# Channa - 1 cup
# Onions - 2 nos ( one finely chopped and one whole)
# Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
# Basmathi rice - 2 cups
# Elachi - 3 nos
# Cloves - 4 nos
# Mustard seeds - as required
# Cinnamon - 1" piece
# Mint leaves - a small bunch
# Coriander leaves - a small bunch
# Green Chillis - 3 nos
# Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
# Coconut milk - half a cup
# Tomatoes (finely chopped) - 1 nos
# Cashews - a few
# Oil (or) Ghee - as required
# Salt - as required


Preparation:

# Soak channa overnight and cook it in a pressure cooker until it is tender.

# Wash the basmathi rice, soak it for abot 15 minutes and cook it on low flame.

# Grind one onion along with the chillis, garam masala powder, ginger garlic paste, mint and coriander leaves, into a fine paste.

# In a large vessel, heat oil or ghee and splutter the mustard seeds, cloves, elachi, and cinamon, and saute for about 10 seconds.

# Add the chopped onions and salt and saute until the onions turn golden brown.

# Add the chopped tomatoes and saute until tender.

# Now, add the ground paste along with coconut milk and cook on low flame, stirring occasionally, until the raw smell fades away.

# Add the cooked channa and cook on medium flame for a minute or two. 

# Now, add the cooked rice and mix gently. 

# Garnish with fried cashews and serve warm with raitha.