Green Garbanzo Beans Pilaf
Rice Pilaf (or Pulav) with Spices and Green Chickpeas
Posted By Savita
Garbanzo Beans (also known as chickpeas) are versatile and tasty legume. You can toss'em into salads, roast, stir into stews. Fresh green chickpeas are often added to rice to make quick and tasty pilaf. Compared to dried chickpea grains, fresh chickpeas cook quickly and are a healthier green bean.
I love this pilaf (or pulav) since childhood. Whenever family visited a marriage celebration or any evening event, everyone will come home tired and exhausted and then, we will dine on plates full of garbanzo beans pilaf with savory or sweet yogurt.
There was never an option to eat out or bring food from outside. It is not that there were no food joints around but everyone desired home cooked meal after eating heavy and spicy food in the party or marriage.
The Caveat is, Mom has to cook!!
Question was, what can be made quickly and is flavorful to please the tough food critics (my younger brother and my daddy)?
Answer - Spicy and hearty garbanzo beans or sweet peas pilaf. Tough critics happy, everyone happy!!
My sister and I were always adjusting kinds. If my Mom will read it, she'll say, "I know!! How adjusting you were?" and I will just smile. :)
Really, it is only when I started cooking, I realized, I am no longer a picky eater. Well, most of times, I eat everything (I used to hate as kid). Even Zucchini and eggplant!! I hated them as kid and now, I cannot have enough.
My dad is still a picky eater. Well, in a different way, will share with you sometime. My brother however changed a lot. He also started eating almost everything after he left home for studies. Now, after marriage, I hear my sister-in-law telling me that he is showing picky eaters sign again!! I told her, wait until you have kids. everything will change :) When kids will start making faces on every vegetable, parents start eating'em to show them they too can. I often ask myself - Why are kids so fuzzy about even tastier meals?? hmm... I don't know. Do you know?
If you have picky eaters at home, serve'em this delicious bean pilaf. Trust me on this one!! Green Garbanzo Beans Pilaf is an excellent and healthy rice dish, suitable to serve picky eaters of any age.
This one pot meal works best for me on meatless Mondays or very tiring weekdays. If I have time, I also serve it on side with grilled meat.
Pairing Ideas:
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Basmati Rice (Or Jasmine Rice)
- 1 Cup Chickpeas (fresh or frozen green chickpeas)
- 1/2 tbsp Salt (adjust per taste)
- 1/2 tbsp Red Pepper Powder
- 1 Asafoetida (pinch of Asafoetida)
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Cup Tomatoes (fine chopped)
- 1 Cup Red Onion (fine chopped)
- 3 Garlic (cloves - fine chopped)
- 1 tbsp Ginger (root - fine chopped)
- 2 tbsp Canola Oil
Directions
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1. Heat oil in a deep heavy bottom pan, add asafetida, bay leaf, cumin seeds and let it fry for 30-40 seconds. Now add ginger and garlic sauté for 2 minutes. Add onion and sauté for 10 minutes till onions start to turn brown at edges. Now add red pepper powder and tomatoes. -
2. Add salt and sauté till tomatoes are fully cooked (about 7 minutes) -
3. Now add chickpeas and mix well. -
4. If you using frozen beans, you can skip this step because frozen beans take less time to cook then fresh shelled green garbanzos. If you are using fresh beans, then after you add beans, add 1/2 cup of water, bring to boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. After this follow the rest of instructions as is. -
5. Add prewashed rice and 2 cups of water. Bring to boil and cover with lid, simmer at low medium heat for about 15 minutes till rice have absorbed all of the water and beans are tender. If using pressure cooker, then pressure cook for about 10 minutes (1 whistle at high and 4 whistle at low medium heat) -
6. Server with your choice of grilled meat and yogurt Raita. Check more accompaniments in the accompaniments section.
Savita's Recipe Notes:
If you want to save yourself from task of shelling fresh chickpeas, you can buy frozen green chickpeas. Available easily in freezer isle of most grocery stores.© Chef De Home. Post content including video and photos are copyright protected.