Recipe
Why make it
A one-pot rice dish of tender chickpeas and basmati, cooked in the chickpea broth with browned onions, yogurt and whole spices. Filling, meat-free and good for a weekday lunch.
Serves 4
+ 15 more in the full recipe
Step 1 of 11
Rinse the basmati in several changes of cold water until the water runs almost clear. Cover with fresh water and soak for 30 minutes, then drain well just before using.
Step 2 of 11
Drain the soaked chickpeas and put them in a medium pot with 1.2 litres of fresh water, the bay leaf and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then cover and simmer until a chickpea mashes easily between your fi…
Step 3 of 11
Strain the chickpeas, keeping the cooking liquid. Measure out 500 ml of the liquid and top up with hot water if you are short. Set both aside.
Step 4 of 11
Heat the oil in the large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and fry, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Lift out about a third of them onto a plate for garnish.
Step 5 of 11
To the remaining onions add the cumin seeds, cloves, both cardamoms, cinnamon and peppercorns. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.
The last 6 steps are in the full recipe.
Cook’s tip
Soak the chickpeas overnight, about 8 hours, and keep the rice soak to 30 minutes. Longer soaking makes basmati break when stirred.
Ready to cook?
Exact amounts, every step, timings and tips, free on RecipenKitchen.