Baked Chickpea Biryani | Chana Biryani | Vegetarian

Chickpea Biryani (aka Chana Biryani) is a flavorful, mildly spicy, and delicious biryani made with white chickpeas, basmati rice, coconut milk, onion, tomatoes, herbs, and spices. This recipe is for you if you want a filling and comforting vegetarian meal. Even if you aren’t vegetarian, you must try this recipe and you are going to love it!!

Chickpea Biryani!!

Biryani is one of my favorite rice dishes and I have tried various types of Biryani. Today, I would like to introduce how to make Chickpea Biryani or Chana Biryani, a healthy and tasty meal with the goodness of chickpeas.

Biriyani with chickpeas may sound strange because it is commonly made with meat. This Chickpea biriyani is a vegetarian version of the Indian biriyani and it makes a perfect meal with vegetarian or non-vegetarian side dishes.

You’ll find an easy-to-follow recipe with step-by-step instructions, helpful info, and tips here. The great thing about this recipe is that you can customize the recipe to suit your palate. I hope you’ll try and enjoy it as much as I do!!

Are you looking for more International recipes?
Take a quick look at the recipe collection HERE

What is Biryani?

Biryani is a rice dish made with meat (or seafood, vegetables) and variety of spices and herbs.

The origin of biryani is not clear, but some believe it originated in Persia (Iran) and was brought to India by traders.

The word Biryani is said to come from the Persian word birian, meaning “fried before cooking.”

This dish evolved as it traveled through different regions and countries various countries have created their own version of the dish. So, there are innumerable variations and methods of cooking.

Ingredients for Chickpea Biryani

Rice: I usually use basmati rice because it is readily available and perfect for making this dish. The quantity of water is decided by the type of rice used. If you use another variety of rice, adjust the water ratio and cooking time.

Chickpeas: I highly recommend using the best quality chickpeas. If chickpeas are aged, it takes longer to cook and doesn’t taste so good.

Whole Spices – Mustard seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and fenugreek

Powdered Spices – Chili powder, turmeric, biryani masala, pepper and salt

Fresh Ingredients – Onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves (optional), Pandan leaves (optional), Green chilies (if not available, skip), scallion (use coriander or mint instead)

Other Ingredients: oil

About the Recipe

Biryani is typically a layered dish, and that’s how the final flavor and richness are achieved.

This chickpea biryani is made by layering slightly spicy chickpea gravy and flavorful cooked basmati rice with finely chopped scallion. Start by adding half the rice at the bottom. Then add the chickpea gravy in the center and add the rest of the rice on top.

I baked the dish in the oven; for me, it is the easiest way to make biryani. However, you can also use the common dum process to cook it on the stovetop.

Biryani recipes typically use Indian spices and herbs but this recipe uses herbs like curry leaves, pandan leaves, and some Sri Lankan spices, so the flavor is more Sri Lankan. However, feel free to use the available ingredients and make it to suit your palate.

In Indian recipes, mint and coriander are widely used as herbs. However, in this recipe, I used scallions that were available for me when I made this recipe. I found that it works well and I like the taste.

This dish is slightly spicy from the green chilies, red chili powder, and other spices. However, feel free to alter the quantity of spices as per your taste.

For making the gravy, I used coconut milk, you can also use curd/yogurt instead of coconut milk.

I like to make it with only chickpeas. However, if you want to add more vegetables to this recipe, I suggest that potatoes can be a good addition.

Steps to Make

1. Soak and drain the chickpeas
2. Cook the chickpeas
3. Make the chickpea gravy
4. Soak and drain the rice
5. Parboil the rice
6. Assemble and bake

Make Ahead Options

• You can cook the chickpeas in advance and keep them in the fridge for about 4 days or in the freezer for about a month.
• You can make the chickpea gravy a day ahead and refrigerate it.

What is Chickpeas?

Chickpeas (or Chick Peas), also known as chana, channa, garbanzo, or garbanzo bean, are members of the bean family. It is one of the most ancient cultivated legumes and widely used beans worldwide. Famous dishes are hummus, falafel, socca, and chana masala.

Tips for Making Biryani

Here are some tips to help you succeed on your first go without messing this dish up!

Before you Start

• Making the best biryani requires practice and patience.
• It might take you a few tries to figure out what works best for you making the perfect one.
• Start by reading the recipe to understand the process.
• When cooking with so many ingredients, gathering all your ingredients before starting is a good idea.

Preparing the Rice

• Rinse the rice thoroughly to remove any excess starch as it prevents the rice from becoming sticky.
• Soak the Basmati rice for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking as it helps moisture to reach the center of the rice grain which helps improve the final texture.

Parboiling the Rice

• Parboil the rice until al dente (partially cooked) with plenty of water for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cooking time can vary on the type of rice so checking the package for instructions is the best way to know.
• Keep a close eye on the pot during the cooking process.
• Make sure not to overcook your rice to prevent becoming mushy.
• To test the doneness of rice, mesh a grain of rice between fingers.
• The rest of the rice cooking happens when baking where rice absorbs the flavors of gravy.
• When parboiling the rice, whole spices are added into the boiling water for aroma and flavor. However, it is optional.
• You can wrap the spices in a muslin cloth and then tie it to form a spice bag. Place it in the boiling water and remove it once the rice is done.
• Add a teaspoon of salt to the rice while boiling. If your rice lacks salt, biryani will lack completely in flavor.
• To avoid the rice getting sticky, add a teaspoon of oil to the rice while boiling.

Preparing the Chickpeas

• I highly recommend using the best quality chickpeas.
• If chickpeas are aged, it takes longer to cook and doesn’t taste so good.
• Also, remember to soak the chickpeas for about 8 hrs or overnight.

Serving Suggestions

Chickpea Biryani is a complete meal itself. You can serve it with vegetarian or non-vegetarian side dishes. This rice dish pairs well with baked chicken, roasted chicken, stewed chicken, grilled meat, grilled vegetables, kebabs, fried fish, cucumber yogurt salad, or any other salad.

Chickpea Biryani
Step-by-Step Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes
Soaking Time 8 hours plus
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 2 to 4

Special Equipment

An ovenproof dish for baking in the oven

Ingredients

To Boil Chickpeas
200g chickpeas
Water as needed

For Chickpea Gravy
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
½ tbsp ginger, paste, or finely minced
1 tbsp garlic, paste, or finely minced
5 curry leaves (optional)
2-inch pandan leaf (optional)
2 green chilies, sliced
3 cardamom (see the notes)
2-inch cinnamon (see the notes)
3 cloves (see the notes)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds, dry roasted (optional)
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp biryani masala (see the notes)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
Cooked chickpeas, previously prepared
Salt and pepper to taste
250 ml coconut milk
Scallion, finely chopped (see the notes)

For Parboil Rice
300 g rice
2-inch piece of pandan leaf (see the notes)
3 cardamom (see the notes)
2-inch piece of cinnamon (see the notes)
3 cloves (see the notes)
Salt 
1 tsp cooking oil
Water as needed

To layer
Prepared parboiled rice
Prepared Chickpea gravy
1 to 2 tbsp water
3 tbsp scallions (see the notes)

Notes

• When making the gravy, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon are used to improve the flavor. You can use a pinch of garam masala (about 1/8 teaspoon) as a substitute.
• Using biryani masala is preferable but if not available, skip it or use the curry powder you choose.
• You can also use chopped coriander or mint leaves instead of scallions
• Biryani rice is typically boiled in plenty of water with whole spices, herbs, oil, and salt for aroma and flavor. Using whole spices and herbs is optional. You can remove them before serving if you like but I don’t. However, do not bite them. Just put them aside. You can also wrap these spices in a muslin cloth to form a spice bag and remove the spice bag before serving.

Instructions

Prepare the Chickpeas

Rinse the chickpeas a few times in fresh water. Then soak them in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.

Drain all the water.

Cook the Chickpeas

Cook the chickpeas in enough water until fully cooked and softened. The time taken to cook chickpeas depends on their quality, so cook accordingly.

Cooked chickpeas

Prepare the Rice

Measure the rice.

Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs (nearly) clear. Place in a bowl and pour in cold water to cover up to 2 inches above the top and soak for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Drain the rice and keep it aside.

Parboil the Rice

I like to parboil the rice with some spices (cinnamon, cardamom, clove) and herbs (pandan leaf) to add flavor and aroma. However, it is optional.

Fill a large pot with approximately 1 liter of water. Add spices, herbs, salt, and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the soaked rice and stir it a couple of times gently with a slotted spoon to make sure the grains are not clumping together. When the water starts boiling again, cook for another 5 minutes until al dente ( slightly tender but still not fully cooked). The cooking time varies with different types of rice.

Do not leave it at this stage. Watch the rice carefully, it tends to foam up and overflow. You may reduce the heat only a little bit, but will need to maintain a continuous boil. Give it a gentle stir once in a while to make sure the rice does not stick to the pan.

Make sure to remove the rice and drain it at the right time. Check the rice to make sure it is cooked. Take a grain and check the texture between your fingers. The par-boiled rice is ready when it is soft around the edges but still firm (not crunchy) in the center.

Once the rice reaches the correct texture, turn the heat off. Transfer the rice into a fine mesh strainer. Make sure to choose a colander/strainer where the holes are small so that the rice won’t escape. You can remove the spices and herbs at this stage.

Prepare the chickpea gravy

Gather the ingredients; Ginger, garlic, curry leaves, pandan leaves, and green chilies.

Whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, clove, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds) and ground spices (turmeric, chili powder, pepper) *mustard seeds not in the photo

Onion, tomato and tomato paste

Coconut milk and salt

I used chopped scallion, however, coriander leaves and mint are typically used in Indian recipes.

Make the Gravy

Heat cooking oil in a frying pan on medium heat. When hot, add mustard seeds, and fry for a few seconds until they crackle. Add ginger, garlic, pandan, curry leaves, and green chilies. Saute until fragrant and the raw aroma goes away.

Then add onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add the spices. Stir well until all the ingredients are well combined. Do it quickly, so that the spices do not get burnt.

Then add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and saute for a minute. Tomatoes prevent further browning of the spices and onions.

Add the soaked and drained chickpeas. Mix the chickpeas very well with the rest of the masala. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove one or two teaspoons of the stir-fried chickpeas with some onion and tomatoes for garnishing.

Add coconut milk. Mix well. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on low flame till the chickpeas absorb the flavors and the gravy thickens, stirring once in a while. 

Turn off the heat. Add a few tablespoons of scallions and stir well.

Assemble and Bake

Preheat your oven to 350 F/180 C. Grease a baking dish with cooking oil or butter.

Now we will begin with the layering process. Spread half of the rice on the bottom and then spread the chickpea gravy on top of the rice. Spread the remaining rice over the chickpea gravy. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of water evenly. Then spread some scallion and the stir-fried chickpeas kept for garnishing.

Cover the pan with a piece of parchment paper.

And then fully covered with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven.

Turn off the oven and let the dish sit in the oven till you are ready to eat.

Mix everything and serve with a side dish of your choice.

Are you looking for more International recipes?
Take a quick look at the recipe collection HERE

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If you make any of my recipes, I’d love to see pics of your creations
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