Name: South Indian Festival Chickpea Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: South Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup raw short-grain rice (sona masuri or seeraga samba), rinsed; 1 cup dried chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked overnight and drained; 3 cups water; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder; 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste; 2 tablespoons ghee; 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 2 dried red chilies, broken; 10 to 12 fresh curry leaves; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 inch ginger, finely grated; 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise; 10 raw cashews, halved; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish

Be the first to rate

(No Ratings Yet)

A festive Tamil one-pot rice dish made with plump chickpeas, soft-cooked rice, and a fragrant ghee tempering of curry leaves, pepper, and cashews. It is a beloved variation served during the Pongal harvest celebration and pairs beautifully with coconut chutney or sambar.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time50 mins

Servings4

Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

465 kcalCalories
14 gFat
6 gSaturated Fat
68 gCarbs
9 gFiber
4 gSugar
16 gProtein
620 mgSodium
640 mgPotassium
95 mgCalcium
5.5 mgIron
14 mgVitamin C
180 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the rice and chickpeas

1 cup raw short-grain rice (sona masuri or seeraga samba), rinsed
1 cup dried chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked overnight and drained
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

For the tempering

2 tablespoons ghee
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 dried red chilies, broken
10 to 12 fresh curry leaves
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, finely grated
2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
10 raw cashews, halved
1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

Pressure-cook the soaked chickpeas with 2 cups of water and turmeric for 6 to 7 whistles (about 15 minutes) until tender but still holding their shape; drain and reserve the cooking water.
In a heavy pot or pressure cooker, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the cashews and fry until golden, then add cumin seeds, crushed pepper, and dried red chilies and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.
Stir in the curry leaves, chopped onion, grated ginger, and green chilies. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions turn soft and translucent.
Add the rinsed rice and stir gently for 1 minute so each grain is coated in the ghee and spices. Add the cooked chickpeas, the reserved chickpea water plus enough fresh water to reach 3 cups total, and salt.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. Do not stir during cooking.
Turn off the heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, lifting the chickpeas from the bottom without breaking them up.
Stir in the chopped cilantro, taste for salt, and serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato rasam, or a side of crispy papad.

Cook’s Notes

Soak the chickpeas overnight for even cooking; a quick-soak alternative is to boil them for 5 minutes, then rest covered for 1 hour.
For a richer festival flavor, finish with an extra tablespoon of ghee drizzled over the rice just before serving.
Adjust the pepper and green chilies to taste; traditional Pongal kadalai has a noticeable warm heat from the peppercorns.
Leftovers can be packed into greased muffin tins, pressed down, and pan-fried with ghee the next morning to make crisp chickpea rice cakes.
Canned chickpeas can be used in a pinch; reduce the added water to 2 cups and skip the pressure-cooking step.

DinnerSavoureux