Ingredients

• Vegetables / Pulses -
• 2 cups - dried green channa
• 3 cups - fresh choliya (fresh)
• 2 cups - sweetcorn / 2 cups - green peas (boiled)
• 2 nos - medium sized carrots-diced
• 10 nos- almonds, blanched and then fried lightly
• 3 cups - basmati rice
• 5 nos- medium sized onions, sliced length-wise
• 2 tbsp - clarified butter (ghee)
• ginger
• salt to taste
• Spices -
• 6 nos- green cardamom
• 6 nos- cloves
• 2 nos 1 " piece - cinnamon
• 10 nos - peppercorns
• 3 tbsp -jeera
• 1 tsp - mustard seeds
• 1 pinch - nutmeg powder
• 2 nos- bay leaves
• 2 sprigs - curry leaves
• Garnish -
• fried browned onions
• coriander leaves
• rose water, if desired

How to Make Green Chana Biryani

• Soak dried green chana overnight, washed the next morning and then boiled.
• Boil rice with twice its quantity of water and adequate salt, until almost done and pour off excess water. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a wok add 2 tsp jeera until it sizzles.
• Add 1/2 the onions, fry until pearly white, add the rice and mix well. Keep aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a non-stick pan, add bay leaves and curry leaves and 1 tsp jeera and mustard seeds.
• Fry until jeera / rye sizzles, add remaining onions and spices and fry until onions are golden brown.
• Add the vegetables and pulses and simmer until the vegetables are al dente .
• In case the ingredients stick to the pan add a few tsp of curd (yoghurt).
• Add salt, red chillies and garam masala.
• Mix the rice and vegetables together, put into a greased pan with a topping of browned onions.
• Cover with aluminium foil and bake in a pre-heated oven at medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
• Mint raita is a good accompaniment.