Recipe Shed – Pilau Rice with Chick Peas

So the theme for the Recipe Shed this week is “Pasta, Pulses and Rice“.  I’m going for 2 out of 3.  If I could’ve thought of a way to get pasta in there, it’d be perfect.

I could’ve cheated and pointed you back to the creamy ham and pasta I put up a while back but I’ll resist.  I’ll save that trick for a week when I really can’t be bothered!

Anyway.  This is another recipe that came from the fantastic Indian cookery course I took.  Can be done from start to finish in about an hour.  Serves loads…

Ingredients

• 2 cups good quality Basmati rice
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 tins of chick peas, drained and washed.
• 1 ladle vegetable oil
• 10 peppercorns
• 10 cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 black cardamoms
• 1tbs whole cumin seeds
• 1tbs garlic & ginger puree (equal quantities garlic & ginger, blended together with a little oil.  Make it in a large batch, keep it in the fridge for when it’s needed)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 chilli
• 3tsp salt

Instructions

1. Wash the rice (change the water several times) and allow to soak in plenty of cold water for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan add onions and fry until they start turning golden
3. Add all of the above spices (apart from the cumin seeds) then after 5 minutes add the garlic & ginger, chopped tomatoes and chilli.  Fry until the onions are a deep golden colour.  Add chick peas and gently fry for 10 minutes.  Add the cumin seeds.
4. Add 3 cups of boiled water, 2tsp of salt, mix gently using a metal spoon.  Taste.  The water should taste salty.  If it doesn’t, add more salt.  Bring to the boil.
5. Drain the rice and add to the pan, stirring only once.  Make sure the heat is on it’s highest and allow the rice to absorb the water until you see little “pot holes” appearing on the rice.  Turn the heat right down, put on a tight-fitting lid.  DO NOT STIR ANYTHING AT THIS POINT!  Steam the rice for 10 minutes more, gently shake the pan or use a long fork to fluff up the rice.