Chana Pulav

Ingredients:
Raw Rice 2 cups
Chickpeas1 1/2 cup
Tomatoes 2
Onion 1
Cinnamon 2 inch stick
Cloves 4
Cardamom 1
podBay Leaf 1
Garlic pods 2
Dried Fenugreek Leaves/ Kasuri Methi
2 tbspsSalt to taste
Oil 2 tbsps
Paste:
Cumin Seeds 2 tsps
Whole dried red chiles (mildly hot) 8-10
Onion 1 small
Garlic 5 pods
Fresh Coconut (grated) 2 tbsps
Oil 1 tbsp
Method of preparation:
Soak chickpeas in water overnight and pressure cook in water for 3 whistles.Alternatively, use canned chickpeas.
Peel and chop onion roughly.Peel and roughly chop garlic pods.Heat oil in a pan, add all paste ingredients except coconut.Stir fry until onion turns translucent and remove from heat.Once cooled, grind the fried ingredients along with coconut into smooth paste.
Wash, remove ends and chop tomato into small pieces.Peel and chop onion.Peel and crush garlic pods.Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, garlic and chopped onion.Fry until onion turns translucent, then add chopped tomato and cook until tomato turns soft.Then add the ground masala paste, dried fenugreek leaves, cooked chickpeas and salt.Stir fry for a minute or two add the raw rice and 4 cups of water.Cook covered on low flame for 30-40 minutes or until the rice is thoroughly cooked.Serve hot with any raita.
Notes: Alternatively, you can cook the rice with the spices and add the chickpes paste when the rice is almost done.