We are huge biryani fans. I usually try to make different kinds for variety and keeping it exciting. This Spinach Chickpeas Biryani is something I make often. It is full of nutrition and tastes delicious. I usually make this on weekdays, which means this has to be a quick dish or atleast something that does not need hands-on time. This works perfectly, with all the shortcuts I manage to take.
Pictorial:
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
1 cup chickpeas
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup coriander leaves
4 green chillies
2 cloves garlic
1″ ginger
Few strands saffron + 2 tbl spn milk
2 tea spns biryani masala
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup onions
1/2 cup tomatoes
3 cloves
2″ cinnamon
2 black cardamoms (or green cardamom)
Salt
Method:
Wash rice and add 3 cups water (little less than needed to completely cook rice), salt, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom.
Grind together spinach, coriander leaves, green chillies, ginger, garlic and little water.
Heat oil and fry onions.
Add tomatoes (I used green tomatoes, use any kind), salt.
Now add the biryani masala, fry for few minutes.
Add the paste, fry till the raw smell goes away.
Now add the cooked chickpeas, carrots, cook it down to a thick gravy.
Cover the gravy with cooked rice.
Add the saffron to warm milk and mix it to get the bright color. Spoon the milk on top of rice.
Cook on low for 30mins.
Switch off heat and leave it undisturbed for another 15mins.
Serve hot with raita.
Serves :4-5
Preparation time: 90mins
Notes :
You can layer it in multiple layers of rice and chickpeas gravy. I just layer the rice on top of gravy to save time.
Add a layer of fried onions on top for extra crunch.
Any biryani masala is ok, here is a homemade version.
Instead of cooking on stovetop, it can be finished in oven. I just prefer stovetop cooking.
