When it comes to a starchy carbohydrate, rice rules the roost in my universe. My tee-shirt would read ‘rice made this body’. So given my obvious preference for rice and its frequency on my meals, there is a lack of rice dishes on this website. This is an effort to remedy that.

I am aware that rice ( basmati rice) is tricky to get just right. It isn’t like other rice that is forgiving in its texture and stickiness. It requires to be fluffy and the grains love their own space but also require even distribution with the flavour. It is really easy to get it right but it is also really easy to mess it up. I know it is asking for a lot from a side dish but when it is given just the right amount of TLC, you won’t have to think about it and it may just become the star in itself. This rice dish is a star. It can be eaten with some salad or a rita but it's also great being as a base to top your favourite curry or daal.

It is lightly fragrant with the whole spices, relies on the vegetable stock cube to flavour and the chickpeas for the texture. The caramelised onions to finish are some added bronze threads of flavour that provide a touch of sweetness to your mouthfuls.

It has long been a feature of something my sister and I call “the trinity”. Chickpea pulao, some chicken cooked whatever way you like, and a cucumber and red onion rita. It is perfect, nourishing, and delicious.

Some tips to get it just right; the rice to water ratio should be 1: 1.5, always soak the rice for at least 30 minutes followed by draining and washing, add the rice to boiling water, reduce that water in half with the lid on, after you have turned the heat off do not lift the lid for a further 15 minutes to allow the rice to fluff in its own steam.

Chickpea Pulao

Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 cup basmati rice soaked for at least 30 minutes
400 grams cooked chickpeas
2 onions thinly sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leave
1 cinnamon stick
½ crushed red chilli flakes
1 vegetable stock cube (low salt)
Salt and pepper to taste
1.5 cups water
¼ cup olive oil

method

Heat the olive oil in a pan on medium. Fry the onion till golden and caramelised. Drain on a kitchen roll or grease prof paper. Set aside.
Fry the spices (cumin, cinnamon, bay leaf) using the same oil as the onion till sizzling and fragrant.
Transfer the chickpeas to the spice oil along with crushed red chilli and stock cube. Cook for 2 minutes to coat with oil and spices.
Season with generous amount of black pepper.
Add the water to the chickpeas and bring to boil.
Drain the rice while the water in the pan is boiling. Add once water has boiled. Turn the heat on medium low and cook till water reduced by half.
Turn the heat to low, place a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn the heat off and keep the lid on to steam for a further 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the onions before serving.