3 cups basmati rice (soaked in water for at least 1/2 an hour) 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas or garbanzo beans (Safaid Chanay) 1 1/2 cups oil 1 medium onion (sliced) 3 teaspoons cumin seeds (zeera) 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste (Lehsan Adrak) 3 teaspoons salt 3 teaspoons red chili powder 3 black cardamom pods (bari elaichi) 1 teaspoon cloves (laung) 2 cinnamon sticks (Dalchini) 1 1/2 cups yogurt 3 teaspoons anise seed (saunf) 1 teaspoon garam masala powder 3 1/2 cups water
- Heat oil in a pan & fry onions till they turn golden brown.
- Add cardamom pods (bari elaichi), cloves (laung), cinammon sticks (dalchini), cumin seeds (zeera) in the onions & stir for about 10 seconds. Then add ginger/garlic paste (lehsan adrak), 2 teaspoons salt and red chili powder & stir fry on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Next add yogurt & chickpeas/garbanzos & cook on medium high till the yogurt water dries up.
- Now add garam masala powder & anise seed (saunf) powder & cover & cook for 2 minutes on medium low heat. (Its THESE two ingredients which make this pulao very different then the usual pulaos you might have eaten so far.
- Finally add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, rice & the water & cook it uncovered on high heat for 7 minutes or till the water dries up.
- Cover the pan & close the lid tightly making sure no steam passes out & cook on low heat for 15 minutes or till the rice is done.
- Serve it your favorite chutney or raita.
