Chana (Chickpea) Biryani

Step 1: Boil the Chickpeas

Soak 2 cups of chickpeas in 1.5L of water with 1/2 tsp of baking soda for 6 hours. After soaking, add the chickpeas and the soaking water to a pot, bring to a boil, then cover and cook for 25 minutes until soft and easily mashable. Set aside.

Step 2: Sauté Whole Spices

In a large pot, heat 3/4 cup of oil over medium heat. Add 3 cinnamon sticks, 3 black cardamoms, 10 cloves, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp cumin, and 1 tsp black cumin. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Step 3: Fry the Onions

Add 3 sliced medium onions to the pot and sauté until they turn golden brown.

Step 4: Prepare the Gravy Base

Remove about 1/2 cup of the fried onions and set aside for garnish. To the remaining onions in the pot, add 3 chopped medium tomatoes, 1 tbsp ginger paste, and 1 tbsp garlic paste. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

Step 5: Add Spices and Yogurt

Add 2 tsp crushed roasted coriander, 2 tsp red chilli flakes, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp crushed roasted cumin, and 1 tsp salt. Mix and cook for 2 minutes. Then, add 1 cup of yogurt, mix well, and cook for another 5 minutes until the oil separates.

Step 6: Combine Gravy with Chickpeas

Add 8-10 dried plums and 5 chopped green chillies to the gravy, mix, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the boiled chickpeas and mix well to coat them in the gravy.

Step 7: Add Fresh Herbs

Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped fresh coriander and 1/2 cup of chopped mint. Add 1/4 tsp of nutmeg and mace powder, mix everything well, and set the chickpea gravy aside.

Step 8: Boil the Rice

In a separate large pot, bring 4 litres of water to a boil with 3 black cardamoms, 2 star anise, 3 bay leaves, 3 cinnamon sticks, 1 tbsp cumin, and 2 tbsp salt. Add 4 cups of soaked parboiled rice and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the rice is 90% cooked. Drain the rice and set aside.

Step 9: Layer the Biryani

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, spread half of the boiled rice to form the bottom layer. Evenly spread the prepared chickpea gravy over the rice. Top with the remaining half of the boiled rice.

Step 10: Garnish and Prepare for Dum

Drizzle 2 tbsp of lemon juice, the yellow food color mixture, and 1 tsp of kewra water over the top layer of rice. Sprinkle the reserved fried onions evenly. Finally, pour 1/4 cup of oil over the top.

Step 11: Steam and Serve

Cover the pot tightly and cook on low heat for 10 minutes to steam (dum). After 10 minutes, gently mix the layers together. Serve the Chana Biryani hot.

• Soaking chickpeas with baking soda helps to soften them faster.

• Cooking the rice to 90% doneness is crucial for the final 'dum' steaming process, ensuring the grains are separate and not mushy.

• Setting aside some fried onions for garnish adds a crispy texture and rich flavor to the final dish.

• You can add other vegetables like potatoes or carrots to the gravy for a mixed vegetable biryani.

• Adjust the amount of red chilli powder and green chillies to suit your spice preference.