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Home » Recipes » Kids Lunch Box

Chole & Jeera Rice + Cucumber-Carrot Salad + Kale Chips

May 24, 2022. by Bhavana Patil. No Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Chole & Jeera Rice + Cucumber-Carrot Salad + Kale Chips

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a dietician,  I am doing what is best for my kid to create a balanced lunch.

KIDS LUNCH BOX #17 - Chole & Jeera Rice + Cucumber-Carrot Salad + Kale Chips

Some kids school lunch box ideas to try…

  1. Spinach Corn Sandwich + Orange + Almonds & Pistachios
  2. Carrot Rice + Cucumber + Fruittellas
  3. Palak Chapati + Jeera Aloo + Orange
  4. Potato Spinach Pancakes + Sprouted Moong & Corn Salad+ Grapes
  5. Mayonnaise Veggie Pasta + Strawberries + Peanut Chikki

Here is what I packed for school lunch…

LUNCH - Chole & Jeera Rice

Here is the Recipe Link for Chole Masala (Chickpea Masala)

Tried this recipe?Don’t forget to give a ★ rating below

Instant Pot Chana Masala (Chole Masala Recipe in Pressure Cooker)

Bhavana Patil
Chana Masala or Chole is one-pot healthy protein-rich vegan and gluten free recipe cooked in a spicy, flavorful onion-tomato gravy along with few spices.
4.84 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 4
Calories : 281
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, Punjabi
Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
Prep Time : 10 minutes
Cook Time : 40 minutes
Total Time : 50 minutes

Equipment

  • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
  

Measuring cup used 1 cup = 250ml

  • 1 cup dry chickpeas (chole/garbanzo beans) soaked overnight
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
  • 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 green chilli finely chopped
  • 2 large tomato (i made tomato puree about 1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) or juice of half lemon
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro (coriander leaves)
  • 1 tablespoon dried kasuri methi (optional)
  • 1.5 cups water
  • salt to taste

Spices:

  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 tablespoon chana (chole masala)
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

Instructions
 

Instant Pot Method

  • Soak Chole (chickpeas) for at least 4+ hours or overnight. Then, drain water and keep it aside.
    step to soak chickpeas in water collage
  • Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and let cumins splutter.
  • Then add onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, and saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
    step to saute onions and ginger garlic collage
  • Next, add tomato puree and the spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, chole masala powder, coriander powder, and cook for 2 minutes.
    step to cook tomato puree with dry spices for chole masala recipe collage
  • Lastly, add soaked chickpeas, salt, and water. Stir well.
    step to add chickpeas and water in instant pot for chana masala recipe collage
  • Close the lid on the pot, and turn the pressure valve to the SEALING position. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 30 minutes.
  • Once the pot beeps, do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
  • Remove lid away from you, add amchur powder (dry mango powder), Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
    Note: Don't worry if the curry is a too liquid consistency. Turn on SAUTE mode again and boil the curry for 5 minutes or until you get the desired consistency.
    chana masala recipe in the instant pot
  • Chole Masala is ready, serve hot with bathura, pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:

  • Take a Pressure cooker, add oil to it. Once the oil is hot add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and let cumins splutter.
  • Then add onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, and saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
  • Next add tomato puree and the spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, chole masala powder, coriander powder, and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Lastly add soaked chickpeas, salt, and water. Stir well.
  • Close the lid, place a whistle and cook for 4-5 whistle on medium-low flame.
  • Switch off the flame and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally.
  • Open the lid and add amchur powder, Kasuri methi, and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
    Don't worry if the curry is too liquid consistency. Just turn on turn on the gas again and boil the curry until you get desired consistency.
  • Chana masala is ready, serve with hot with bathura, pooris, jeera rice, chapatis, roti & parathas.

Video

Notes

Tips & Variations

  • Canned Chickpeas: "Pressure Cook/Manual" on High for 5 minutes in Instant Pot or 2 whistles if using a stovetop Indian pressure cooker for cooking Chana masala with canned or cooked chickpeas. Adjust water appropriately, as it takes less water to cook canned chickpeas.
  • Canned tomatoes: Canned tomatoes can also be used to replace fresh tomatoes. Use 1 cup of canned tomatoes to replace fresh tomatoes.
  • Thick Consistency: If you want a thicker gravy, you can mash chickpeas a bit after pressure cooking cycle.
  • Tanginess: If you do not have amchur (dry mango powder), then replace it with 1 tablespoon of lime juice for this chole masala recipe.
  • Chana Masala Spice Powder: You can use any Chana/Chole masala brand available in Indian grocery stores or on amazon. I reccomend Everest Chole Masala brand.
  • Baking Soda: Some people also add baking soda/sodium bicarbonate (I generally don't do this) while pressure cooking to fasten the cooking time and get softer chickpeas.
 
Spices: If you don’t find chole masala, Then dry roast the below spices and blend them together and store in an airtight container.
  • 1 tablespoon Dry Pomegranate Seeds (Anardana) (optional)
  • 3 tablespoon Coriander powder
  • 1 tablespoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 6 Green Cardamom 
  • 2 teaspoon Black pepper 
  • 10 teaspoon Cloves 
  • 3-4 pieces Cinnamon 
  • 1 teaspoon Red chili powder 
  • 1 teaspoon Black salt (kala namak) .
OR, replace them with 1.5 tablespoons Curry Powder. This will change the flavor, but it’ll be close.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 7.7gFat: 16gSodium: 240mgPotassium: 379mgFiber: 7.6gSugar: 6.9gVitamin A: 800IUVitamin C: 42.1mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2.2mg
Keyword chana masala, chickpeas curry, chole masala recipe, instant pot chana masala, pressure cooker chana masala
Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @indianveggiedelight or #indianveggiedelight

Here is the Recipe Link for Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice). I have used a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) to make jeera rice. When I pack jeera rice for my kids box I just handpick whole spices like cinnamon, and cardamom so that it doesn't come into my mouth while eating.

Tried this recipe?Don’t forget to give a ★ rating below
Restaurant style Instant Pot Jeera/cumin rice served in a bowl with cilantro on the side

Instant Pot Jeera Rice (Indian Cumin Rice)

Bhavana Patil
Instant Pot Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice) is an easy one pot flavorful rice dish made with perfectly cooked Basmati Rice flavored with jeera and whole spices.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 2
Calories : 424
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, North Indian
Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
Prep Time : 5 minutes
Cook Time : 10 minutes
Total Time : 15 minutes

Equipment

  • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
  • Stovetop Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
  

Whole Spices

  • 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) Seeds
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 green cardamom

Other Ingredients

  • 1-2 tablespoons oil or ghee
  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
  • 2 green chilies split lengthwise
  • 1.5 cups water
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons coriander (cilantro)

Instructions
 

Instant Pot Method

  • Press Saute on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil and once it's hot add cumin/jeera seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and cloves. Saute for 30 secs (till aromatic).
  • Then add green chilies. Saute for another 30 secs.
    step to saute whole spices, cumin and chilies collage
  • Add Basmati Rice, water, salt, and give a stir.
    step to add rice, water and pressure cook collage
  • Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
    perfectly cooked jeera rice in an instant pot pressure cooker garnished with cilantro
  • Once the pot beeps, Do a Quick Pressure Release (QR) Manually.
    Restaurant style Instant Pot Jeera/cumin rice served in a bowl with cilantro on the side
  • Lastly, remove the lid away from you, garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander leaves.
  • Jeera Rice is ready.

Indian Pressure Cooker Method

  • Heat ghee in a pressure cooker on medium heat and once it's hot add bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves, cumin/Jeera. Saute for 30 seconds (till aromatic).
  • Then add green chilies. Saute for another 30 secs.
  • Add basmati rice, water, salt and stir well.
  • Close the lid of the cooker, Pressure cook it for 2 whistles on medium heat.
  • When rice is cooled, fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
  • Jeera Rice is ready

Stovetop Pot Method:

  • To make jeera rice recipe or pulao on a stovetop pot, follow the steps as above until adding water and then cook covered on a low heat until the water is absorbed and then turn off the heat. Allow it to rest for some time and then open the lid and fluff the rice.

Notes

I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT

Tips to Make the Perfect Jeera Rice

  • Basmati Rice: Use good quality basmati rice for making the fragrant Jeera Rice. However, you can use any premium-quality rice.
  • Rinsing the Rice: Rinse Always rinse the uncooked basmati rice before you cook it. This helps to remove excess starch, make it less sticky, and prevent it from clumping together.
  • Water-Rice Ratio: To make non-sticky, fluffy cumin rice adjust the water correctly, depending on the quality and type of rice used. I have used basmati rice in this recipe.
  • Vegan: Use ghee (clarified butter) to get the best flavors in Jeera Rice. To make vegan jeera rice, use either olive oil or any cooking oil.
  • 'Rice' Setting: You can follow the same instructions and Press the Rice button instead of Pressure Cook/Manual mode. It will default to 12 minutes at LOW pressure. The results are pretty much the same.
  • Vegetable Jeera Pulao: Add 1 cup of mixed fresh/frozen vegetables (like carrot, green beans, and peas) to this recipe to make a Vegetable Pulao/Pilaf. You can also garnish it with some roasted nuts.
 
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcalCarbohydrates: 79gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 166mgPotassium: 153mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 2mg
Keyword cumin rice, instant pot, jeera rice
Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @indianveggiedelight or #indianveggiedelight

SNACK - Cucumber-Carrot Salad - I just mixed together grated carrot with some finely chopped cucumber and sprinkled some salt, pepper, and lime juice.

SNACK - Kale Chips - I got these from Costco and are a healthy variety of chips.

Prep Work For The Previous Evening

  1. Soak Chickpeas/CholeChanna previous night.

Notes

  • Packed in a stainless steel tiffin box called Lunchbots which is Eco-Friendly, Dishwasher Safe, BPA-Free and is easily available on Amazon. Do not use plastic lunch boxes to your kids, they are toxic.
  • You can increase or decrease quantity based on your child's appetite.

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Hi There! Welcome to my blog! I’m Bhavana. Here you’ll find easy recipes for your Instant Pot, Kids Lunch Box ideas, Keto/LowCarb, Air-fryer recipes plus more wholesome, easy Vegetarian/Vegan Indian recipes that your family will love. More about me →

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