Making interesting items for lunch box is a challenging task for most of the moms. Thankfully both my kids love chole, rajma, and other legumes. The channa pulao is always a super hit in their lunch box. I always make rajma masala separately and make basmati rice and mix both and pack them in box. Recently when one of my friends was talking casually in a chat, she made rajma rice for her lunch box and mentioned she made it as a one-pot meal. She made it the same way as my channa pulao. I slightly tweaked the recipe according to my taste and it was a super hit with kids. I made this again for myself today and enjoyed spicy rajma pulao with boondi raitha. Also check out Chana dal pulao, Mexican style Rajma paratha, Raw mango pulao
Soak rajma for 8 hours or overnight. Cook the rajma till 4-5 whistles. Add 1/2 cup of water while cooking the rajma. Add a little salt too.
Soak basmati rice in 1/4 cup of water. The water we have used in cooking the rajma will be used for the pulao too. So 1/4 cup of water is enough. Finely chop the onions and tomatoes. In a pressure cooker add oil and throw in the cardamom, bay leaf, clove, and ginger garlic paste. Saute it for a few minutes in a low flame and add the chopped onions. Cook for a few minutes.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes on a low flame. Add in the red chili powder, green chili, cumin powder, coriander powder, and rajma masala (garam masala). Add in finely chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Add salt. Remember that we added salt while cooking rajma too. So add accordingly. Add the cooked rajma. Do not discard the water. Measure the water and keep 1/4 cup for cooking the pulao. Already we added 1/4 cup to the rice.
Add the rice and water. Mix well and cover it. Cook till one whistle and put in the lowest flame for 7 minutes. Let the pressure subside on its own.
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