CHANNA PULAO (SPICY BASMATI RICE WITH CHICKPEAS)

Original name: Channa Pulao

Origin: Pakistan

Ingredients
2 glasses of whole chick peas (boiled)
400 gr rice soaked for about 30 minutes
¾ glass of corn oil
1 big sized onion sliced
2 big spoons of ginger minced
5 cloves of garlic minced
2 small spoons of whole cumin seeds
12 black pepper seeds
12 cloves
2 black cardamom
1 small stick of cinnamon
salt (adjust to taste)

Preparation
Take chick peas, drain and put aside. In a pan, heat the oil and add the onions. Sauté till it starts to turn brown. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, black pepper seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and salt along with 1 glass of water. Mix well and allow the water to dry. Add the chick peas and presoaked rice. Add water so that it reaches about a 1½ cm above the level of the rice. Cover and once the water starts boiling, lower down the heat and cook till water dries and the rice and chick peas are tender (the pot should be always covered). Reduce heat to the minimum, cook in their own steam for another 5 minutes and remove.