High-Protein Kala Chana Pulao is an easy one-pot rice dish made with black chickpeas (kala chana), fragrant basmati rice, and warm Indian spices in the pressure cooker. It's perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner.
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How to Make Kala Chana Pulao
Rinse and soak ½ cup of dried black chana for 6-8 hours or overnight. Transfer it to an Instant pot pressure cooker, add water and salt. Pressure cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. Here is a detailed recipes "how to cook black chickpeas in the instant pot".
If using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook on medium flame for 4-5 whistles. Once it's done, strain the water and keep the kala chana aside.
½ cup dried kala chana yields approximately 1½ cups cooked black chickpeas.
Press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot. Heat 2 tablespoons oil (or ghee) and add the following whole spices: 1 inch cinnamon, 2 cardamom, 2-3 cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1 star anise, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds or until aromatic.
Next, add 1 cup of sliced onions and sauté until they turn light brown.
Then add 1 tablespoon minced ginger and garlic, 2-3 green chilies, and sauté for a few seconds.
Add chopped tomatoes and spices like red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes turn soft.
Next, add ¼ cup mint leaves and ¼ cup coriander leaves, and cook the mixture for a minute until the leaves wilt.
Next, add 1 to 1½ cups cooked kala chana, rinsed basmati rice, water, and salt. Mix well to combine.
Pressure Cook for 2 whistles on a medium-high flame, and turn off the flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Instructions: Follow the same steps as Stovetop Pot pressure cooker, PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes, followed by natural pressure release.
Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional) and coriander leaves, then gently mix with a ladle.
Kala chana pulao is ready, serve with yogurt, raita, or any curry.
What to Serve with Black Chickpeas Pulao?
Kala chana pulao goes well with onion tomato raita or cucumber raita, Gujarati kadhi, with boiled peanut salad on the side.
You can also pair it with instant pot dal tadka or matar paneer.
Tips & Variations
- White Chickpeas: You can substitute white kabuli chana with black chana.
- Coconut Milk: You can add ½ cup thick coconut milk and 1 cup water in total to make the rice extra rich.
- Other Veggies: You can use other veggies like carrot, beans, cauliflower, etc.
- Other Grains: You can substitute basmati rice with other grains like millet, or quinoa.
More Instant Pot Indian Rice Recipes
Kala Chana Pulao (One Pot Pressure Cooker)
Ingredients
To Cook Black Chickpeas
- ½ cup black chickpeas
- 2 cups water
- 1 pinch salt
For Pulao
- 2 tablespoons oil (or ghee)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 cloves
- 2 cardamoms
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large red onions (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic minced
- 2 green chilies sliced
- 1 large tomato (about ¾ cup)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup mint leaves roughly chopped
- ¼ cup coriander leaves roughly chopped
- 1 cup white basmati rice
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Rinse and soak ½ cup of black chana for 6-8 hours or overnight. Transfer it to an Instant pot pressure cooker, add water and salt. Pressure cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. Here is a detailed recipes "how to cook black chickpeas in the instant pot".If using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook on medium flame for 4-5 whistles. Once it's done, strain the water and keep the kala chana aside."½ cup dried kala chana yields approximately 1½ cups cooked black chickpeas."
- Press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot. Heat oil (or ghee) and add the following whole spices: cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, star anise, cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds or until aromatic.Next, add sliced onions and sauté until they turn light brown.
- Then add minced ginger and garlic, green chilies, and sauté for a few seconds.Add chopped tomatoes and spices like red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes turn soft.
- Next, add mint leaves and coriander leaves, and cook the mixture for a minute until the leaves wilt.Next, add 1 to 1½ cups cooked kala chana, rinsed basmati rice, water, and salt. Mix well to combine.
- Pressure Cook for 2 whistles on a medium-high flame, and turn off the flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Add lemon juice (optional) and coriander leaves, then gently mix with a ladle. Kala chana pulao is ready, serve with yogurt, raita, or any curry.
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