Achaari channa paneer pulav

This is a tasty and flavorful rice recipe that uses achaari/pickle spices made healthy by the inclusion of chickpeas and brown rice. Achaari spices like mustard, nigella(kalongi), fennel and fenugreek are added along with garam masala powder, differentiating it from the usual pulav recipes. The interesting part of this recipe is the addition of pickle paste/chutney of your choice in the pulav while cooking the rice. I usually add mango pickle. But chilly, vegetable, lime, garlic pickle might equally well in the recipe. It goes well with any raita of your choice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice (white rice works well as well)
• 1 cup cooked channa/chickpeas
• 1 red onion chopped
• 1/2 cup paneer cubes
• 11/2 tbsp achaar/pickle (I used mango pickle)
• 3 tbsp curd
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp kalongi/nigella seeds
• 1/4 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp amchur (optional)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 11/2 tbsp oil/ghee
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• salt to taste
• mint leaves for garnish

Method:

Soak channa over night and cook them with salt and water for 4 whistles in a pressure cooker.

Soak rice in water for an hour and cook them in a pan/pressure cooker. Make sure the grains and separate and not mushy.

In a pan, add oil. When the oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds, cumin, fennel seeds, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds. Saute until the mustard crackles. Add the chopped onions and saute until they become soft and translucent.

In a bowl add the yogurt, achaar/pickle, chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, amchur pwder and mix well.

Add the yogurt-pickle mixture to the onions and saute for couple of minutes in medium flame.

Add the cooked channa and let it cook for few minutes until the water is absorbed and the gravy becomes little dry.

Add the cooked brown rice, paneer and salt to the channa mixture and mix well.

Close the lid and let it cook in a low flame for 3-4 minutes. Keep stirring the rice carefully in between. This helps the flavor to get infused in the channa and rice.

Switch off the flame. Add a tsp of lemon juice and garnish with mint leaves. Serve hot.

Note:

You can add any pickle of your choice ( green chillies pickle, mango pickle, vegetable pickle etc)

If the paneer is hard or if you’ve just taken it our of your freezer/refrigerator. Soak them in hot water for sometime to soften it. You can even shallow fry them in oil and add it to the rice.