Sundal / Channa Biriyani

     The sundal gives a slightly different taste to the normal plain biriyani. This is a healthy and vegetarian biriyani which can be tried for vegetarians especially.

Ingredients:

Basmathi / Seeraga Samba / Normal Rice	1 cup
Channa / Sundal / chickpea	¾ cup
Onion	1
Tomato	1
Red Chilly Powder	1 tesp
Coriander Powder	1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	½ tesp
Garam Masala Powder	½ tesp
Mint / Puthina leaves	Handful
Coriander Leaves	Handful
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tbsp
Salt	As required / 1 1/2 tesp
Water	2 cups
To Temper:
Oil	1 tbsp
Ghee	1 tbsp
Cinnamon	1 inch
Cloves	2
Cardamom	1
Bay leaf	1

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the chickpea/sundal for 8 hrs or overnight.  Pressure cook for 1 whistle and keep it aside.

2. Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins and drain the water completely.

3. Peel, wash and cut the onion into small pieces.

4. Heat the oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Fry them for a min.

5. Then add the chopped onion and fry till it becomes translucent.

6. Next Add the chopped tomato and fry till it becomes mushy.

7. Then add chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves and fry for a min. Now add the soaked rice, red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix them well.

8. Add chickpea and 2 cups of water-  (you can use rice soaked water also). Mix them well and add garam masala.  Again give a stir and close the lid of the cooker.

9. Put the whistle and keep it in full simmer after the steam has come out. Cook for 10 - 12 mins.

10. Open the cooker after the pressure has gone. Give a gentle mix with fork and serve with raitha.