Chhole Chawal and Rajma Chawal are staples across Delhi. Some of the best places where I’ve eaten these would be Nehru Place and Connaught Place. I’ve probably made Rajma once in my life. And after an overnight soak and 15 whistles in the cooker, my rajma was hard as ever. Since I was only cooking for myself back then, I endured it. Chhole, however, is another saga altogether. I have made it many times and in several different ways. Amma even has a zero oil recipe which I shall post soon.
I soaked chick peas to make chhole but ended up making yet another rice dish. It is almost like chhole chawal, except that the masala is slightly different and the rice is cooked along with the chhole.
200g Chick peas, soaked overnight
2 Onions, sliced
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
1 tbsp Oil
½ tsp Cumin Seeds
½ tsp Asafoetida
1 tsp Chilli paste
½ tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tsp Green Chilli paste
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala
Salt to taste
1 cup Basmati rice
Heat the oil in a pressure pan. Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the cumin crackles, add the onions and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chilli paste and the ginger garlic paste and fry for another minute. Add the chilli and turmeric powders along with the pav bhaji masala and fry for a minute. Add the tomato puree and salt. When the mixture bubbles, add the chickpeas and rice. Stir well. Add 2 cups of hot water and cook for 2 whistles.
When done, garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy it with some raita.
This raita is ready within minutes.
Chop an onion and a tomato finely. Add a finely chopped green chilli to a bowl of curd. Add salt and beat well. Add the onion and tomato pieces. Garnish with coriander.
If you have soaked chick peas on hand, this meal is ready in 25 minutes flat. And it has a good mix of carbohydrates, proteins, fat and a share of vegetables too. So, this goes to Mallugirl’s Express Cooking challenge.
Rice being the main ingredient here, I am also sending this entry to Jihva for ingredients started by Indira of Mahanandi and hosted by Sharmi of Neivedyam.
9 comments:
Never tried this recipe, but looks very yummy yummy...
Thanks for sharing!
A yummy pulao Raaga. Viji
@Cinnamon: An experiment that didn't fail :-) Tasted quite good.
@Viji: It was inbdeed yummy and so simple too.
Thats a good meal! :)
OMG. How many do you cook?
Really amazed.
Nice pulao.
@Coffee: It is, isn't it? :-) Try it when you're pressed for time.
Hi Raaga,
I enjoyed reading your blog today. The post about enjoying cooking vs. a modern working woman, you have my support there, girl. I am a nuttie about cooking my own food, too. and I work, three :)
Anyway, thanx for the bhaji recipe, that masala is my utmost favorite (can you ask your Amma (is that auntie ? I am not Indian, sorry) to reveal a secret recipe for a real home-made bhaji masala ?) Please, please, lovely please.... :)
Amma is fine Zlamushka :-) She is my Amma :-)
I'm a little confused. Which bhaji recipe are you talking about? We have loads of bhajis, each with a different masala. I'll definitely send across some. But if you have something specific, do let me know.
Oh, sorry, Raaga,
I forgot to specify. My most favortie is Pav Bhajii masala. I use store bought from MDH. I always wanted to re-create it at home, but it looks way too complicated without the quantity. Do you have a suggestion? And I love Onion Bhaji, I like it spicy. I googled some recipes, but many people use simply garam masala or just 2 or 3 basic spices.
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