chana biryani recipe with step by step photos – aromatic, spiced and a delicious dum cooked and layered biryani with white chickpeas.

biryani is a favorite rice based dish with us. during weekends i often make biryani. apart from the usual veggie biryanis, i also make biryani with safed chana or white chickpeas. basically there are two ways i make this biryani. one with curd and the other with coconut milk. in this post, i am sharing the coconut milk version. you can even skip coconut milk with the curd and use the same recipe.

if you like chole and biryani, then you will like this biryani with chana too. chole is a big time favorite at home. i have already shared few popular chole recipes like:

• amritsari chole
• chana masala
• chana chaat
• pindi chole

in this chole biryani recipe, i have not cooked the chana first. the chickpeas are cooked with gravy itself in the pressure cooker. so saves time and you just need to make the chana gravy and rice before assembling and dum cooking.

serve chole biryani with a side of raita, pickle, papad or kachumber.

if you are looking for more rice recipes then do check:

• hyderabadi veg dum biryani
• lucknowi biryani
• vegetable pulao
• mushroom biryani

chana biryani

4.15 from 7 votes

Prep Time:45 mins

Cook Time:30 mins

Total Time:1 hr 15 mins

chana biryani is an aromatic, spiced and a delicious dum cooked and layered biryani made with white chickpeas.

Course:main course

Cuisine:hyderabadi,south indian

Servings:3 to 4

Author:Dassana Amit

INGREDIENTS FOR chana biryani

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

for chana gravy

• 2 to 3 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shah jeera)
• 2 to 3 green cardamoms (chotti elaichi)
• 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
• 1.5 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
• 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
• 2 to 3 cloves (lavang)
• 2 large onions or 160 grams onions or 1 cup tightly packed thinly sliced onions
• 1 large tomato or 100 grams tomatoes or ½ cup chopped tomatoes
• 5 grams ginger (adrak) or 1 inch ginger or ½ tablespoon finely chopped ginger (adrak)
• 5 gram garlic or 8-10 medium sized garlic cloves, or ½ tablespoon finely chopped garlic (lahsun)
• 2-3 green chilies, slit or sliced diagonally
• ¾ to 1 cup coconut milk or 200 to 250 ml coconut milk
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder)
• 1 cup dried chana (chole or white chickpeas) or 200 grams chana, soaked overnight in enough water
• 2.25 cup water for pressure cooking chana gravy
• salt as required

for rice

• 200 grams basmati rice or 1 cup heaped basmati rice
• 3 cups water for cooking rice
• 2 to 3 green cardamoms (chotti elaichi)
• 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
• 1 to 1.5 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
• 2 to 3 single strands of mace (javitri)
• 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
• 3 cloves (lavang)
• ½ teaspoon salt or add as required

for layering chole biryani

• 10 grams mint leaves (pudina patta) or ½ cup chopped mint leaves
• 10 grams coriander leaves (dhania patta) or ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
• 2 teaspoon ginger julienne (adrak)
• 1 tablespoon warm water + 1 pinch of saffron strands (kesar)
• 1 to 2 teaspoon kewra water or rose water

HOW TO MAKE chana biryani

preparation for chana biryani

• rinse and then soak 1 cup safed chane or dry white chickpeas (200 grams) in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours. later strain, rinse the chickpeas and keep aside.
• soak 1 cup heaped basmati rice in enough water for 30 minutes. later strain the rice and keep aside.
• heat 3 cups water in a pan or pot. when the water become hot, add the following spices - 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 to 1.5 inch cinnamon, 2 to 3 single strands of mace, 1 tej patta and 3 cloves.
• add 1/2 tsp salt or as required.
• bring the water to a rolling boil on a high flame.
• then add the strained rice.
• cook the rice grains on the high flame.
• when the rice grains are 75% cooked or there is a slight bite in them, then switch off the flame.
• immediately strain the cooked rice. keep aside.

making chana gravy for biryani

• so when the rice grains are getting soaked and cooking, you can prepare the chana gravy.
• heat 2 tbsp oil and add these spices - 1 tsp shah jeera, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1.5 inch cinnamon/dalchini, 1 tej patta and 2 to 3 cloves/lavang.
• saute the spices for a few seconds till they splutter.
• then add the 1 cup tightly packed thinly sliced onions. stir very well.
• saute the onions on a low to medium flame.
• for a quick cooking of the onions, add a pinch of salt.
• saute till the onions become golden.
• switch off the flame and take half of the fried onions in a plate.
• add 1/2 tbsp finely chopped ginger, 1/2 tbsp finely chopped garlic and 2 to 3 green chilies (sliced).
• switch on the burner and saute for some seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
• then add 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute.
• next add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp coriander powder.
• mix the spice powders very well with the rest of the ingredients.
• add the soaked and drained chana.
• mix the chana very well with the rest of the masala.
• add 2.25 cups water. season with salt.
• pressure cook the chickpeas on a medium to high flame for 18 to 20 minutes.
• when the pressure falls down on its own, remove the lid and check the chickpeas. they should be cooked well and softened. 
• do note that the chickpeas should not have a bite to them. if not cooked well, then pressure cook for a few more whistles. the time taken to cook chickpeas, depends on their quality, so cook accordingly.
• then add 3/4 to 1 cup thick coconut milk (200 to 250 ml). stir and mix very well. check the salt in the chana gravy and if required add more.
• when the chickpeas are cooking, warm 1 tbsp water and add a pinch of saffron strands. stir and keep aside. you can also use milk instead of water.

assembling and making chana biryani

• add 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves, 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves and 1 tsp ginger julienne to the chana gravy.
• layer with all of the rice.
• next top with the fried onions.
• then layer with 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves, 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves and 1 tsp ginger julienne.
• sprinkle the saffron dissolved water evenly.
• now place a moist kitchen towel on the pressure cooker.
• place a tight lid. keep the cooker on a heated tawa/griddle.
• dum cook chana biryani for 25 to 30 minutes on a low flame. give a resting time of 5 to 7 minutes.
• later serve chole biryani with a raita, salad or biryani shorba.

RECIPE TIPS

tips for making chana biryani:

• coconut milk can be substituted with 1 cup fresh curd.
• substitute caraway seeds with cumin seeds.
• dry fruits like cashews, almonds and raisins can also be added.
• ghee can be used instead of oil.

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how to make chana biryani or chole biryani

prepping for chana biryani:

1. rinse and then soak 1 cup chole (safed chana) or dried white chickpeas (200 grams) in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours. later strain, rinse the chickpeas and keep aside.

2. soak 1 cup heaped basmati rice in enough water for 30 minutes. later strain the rice and keep aside.

3. heat 3 cups water in a pan or pot. when the water become hot, add the following spices – 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 to 1.5 inch cinnamon, 2 to 3 single strands of mace, 1 tej patta and 3 cloves.

4. add ½ tsp salt or as required.

5. bring the water to a rolling boil on a high flame.

6. then add the strained rice.

7. cook the rice grains on the high flame.

8. when the rice grains are 75% cooked or there is a slight bite in them, then switch off the flame.

9. immediately strain the cooked rice. keep aside.

making gravy for chana biryani

10. so when the rice is getting soaked and cooking, you can prepare the chana gravy. heat 2 tbsp oil and add these spices – 1 tsp shah jeera, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1.5 inch cinnamon/dalchini, 1 tej patta and 2 to 3 cloves/lavang.

11. saute the spices for a few seconds till they splutter.

12. then add the 1 cup tightly packed thinly sliced onions.

13. stir very well.

14. saute the onions on a low to medium flame. for quick cooking of the onions, add a pinch of salt.

15. saute till the onions become golden.

16. switch off the flame and take half of the fried onions in a plate.

17. add ½ tbsp finely chopped ginger, ½ tbsp finely chopped garlic and 2 to 3 green chilies (sliced).

18. switch on the burner and saute for some seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

19. then add ½ cup chopped tomatoes.

20. saute for a minute.

21. next add ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp coriander powder.

22. mix the spice powders very well with the rest of the ingredients.

23. add the soaked and drained chana.

24. mix the chana very well with the rest of the masala.

25. add 2.25 cups water.

26. season with salt.

27. pressure cook the chickpeas on a medium to high flame for 18 to 20 minutes. if cooking in a pan, then add water accordingly and simmer till the chickpeas are cooked well.

28. when the pressure falls down on its own, remove the lid and check the chickpeas. they should be cooked well and softened. do note that the chickpeas should not have a bite in them. if not cooked well, then pressure cook for a few more whistles. the time taken to cook chickpeas, depends on their quality, so cook accordingly. the gravy has to be of medium consistency and not thin.

29. then add ¾ to 1 cup thick coconut milk (200 to 250 ml).

30.  stir and mix very well. check the salt in the chana gravy and if required add more.

31. when the chickpeas are cooking, warm 1 tbsp water and add a pinch of saffron strands. stir and keep aside. you can also use milk instead of water.

assembling and layering chole biryani

32. now we will begin with the layering process. add ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves, ¼ cup chopped mint leaves and 1 tsp ginger julienne.

33. next layer with all of the rice.

34. next top with the fried onions.

35. then layer with ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves, ¼ cup chopped mint leaves and 1 tsp ginger julienne.

36. sprinkle the saffron dissolved water evenly. you can also add 1 to 2 tsp of rose water or kewra water.

37. this is how the top of the layer looks like. i made the layers in the cooker itself and just two main layers each of the chana gravy and rice. if you want you can make four layers also.

38. now place a moist kitchen towel on the pressure cooker.

39. place a tight lid. keep the cooker on a heated tawa.

40. dum cook chana biryani for 25 to 30 minutes on a low flame. give a resting time of 5 to 7 minutes. if baking – then bake the chana biryani at 180 degrees celsius in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. please remember to use an oven proof glass utensil like the pyrex bowl for baking in the oven. you will have to assemble the chole biryani as mentioned above in the oven proof utensil. cover with aluminium foil and then bake.

41. serve chole biryani with a raita, salad or shorba.