Chana Biryani, Chicken Haleem, Chana Daal Halwa And Sharbat by Zarnak Sidhwa

Ingredients For Chana Biryani:

• Rice 1 1/2 cup
• Chickpeas 1 cup
• Tea leaves 2 tbsp
• Salt 1 tsp
• Green cardamom 5-6
• Bay leaves 2-3
• Clover 2-3
• Yogurt  1 1/2 cup
• Ginger paste 1 tsp
  
• Ginger 1 inch piece
  
• Mint leaves 1/2 cup
  
• Green chili paste 1 tsp
  
• Red chili powder 1 tsp
  
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
  
• Garam masala 1 tsp
  
• Garlic paste  1 tsp
• Saffron essence 1/4 tsp
  
• Milk 1 tbsp
  
• Kewra water a few drops
  
• Coriander leaves 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Soak chickpeas overnight in water.
2. Drain and pressure cook in four cups of water with salt and tea leaves tied in a piece of muslin cloth, till tender.
3. Remove the muslin cloth bag and drain chickpeas.
4. Soak rice for about half an hour.
5. Drain, boil four cups of water in a deep pan with salt and green cardamom, bay leaves an cloves.
6. Add rice and cook till half done.
7. Drain excess water.
8. Marinate boiled chickpeas in yogurt, ginger paste and ginger julienne, half of the mint leaves, green chili paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and garlic paste.
9. Place the marinated chickpeas in a deep non-stick pan.
10. Spread cooked rice over the chickpeas, evenly.
11. Sprinkle saffron essence and milk and half of the coriander leaves over rice.
12. Cover the pan tightly and put on low heat to simmer for fifteen minutes or till rice is cooked.
13. Serve hot garnished with remaining coriander leaves and mint leaves.
    

Ingredients For Chana Daal Halwa:

• Gram lentils 1 cup
  
• Ghee  3 tbsp
  
• Saffron a few strands
  
• Khoya 1/4 cup
  
• Green cardamom 1/2 tsp
  
• Sugar 3/4 cup
  
• Cashew nuts 10-12
  
• Almonds  10

Method:

1. Crush the chana daal in a grinder and put it into a deep non stick pan.
2. Add ghee and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, till fragrant and lightly browned.
3. Add saffron and mix.
4. Add khoya and mix.
5. Add green cardamom powder and sugar and cook till sugar dissolves.
6. Add cashew nuts and almonds and mix.
7. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
8. Serve hot or at room temperature.
   

Ingredients For Chicken Haleem:

• Chicken boneless 1 kg
  
• Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp
  
• Brown onion 1/2 cup
  
• Turmeric 1 tbsp
  
• Red chili powder 3 tbsp
  
• Salt 2 tbsp
  
• Coriander powder 1 tbsp
  
• All spice  1 tbsp
• Yogurt 1/2 tsp
  
• Oil 2 tsp
  
• Wheat 2
  
• Bengal gram 2-3 cloves
  
• Yellow lentils 2 tbsp
  
• Red lentils 1
  
• Pigeon peas few
  
• White lentils 2 tbsp
• Rice

For Garnish

• Sliced ginger as required
  
• Garam masala powder  to sprinkle
  
• Coriander leaves  few
  
• Green chilies few
  
• Lemon wedges  few

Method:

1. Soak wheat overnight.
2. Rinse thoroughly in the morning.
3. Cook this wheat with 12 cups of water so much so that it is tender and thick.
4. Cook bengal gram, yellow lentils, red lentils, pigeon peas, white lentil and rice together until all of them are tender blend well.
5. Keep aside, heat oil in a pan and saute ginger garlic paste.
6. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, all spice powder and coriander powder.
7. Add brown onion, yogurt and salt.
8. Saute. Add little water and boneless chicken and cook till tender.
9. When done mash chicken very well.
10. Mix chicken mixture and blended wheat and lentils mixture, cook and keep mixing haleem at the same time.
11. Heat up oil for bhagar and fry sliced onion till golden brown.
12. Pour this bhagar over haleem and garnish with sliced ginger, garam masala and fresh coriander leaves and serve with lemon wedges.

Ingredients For Sharbat:

• Milk 2 cups
  
• Basil seeds 2 tbsp
  
• Red sharbat  4 tbsp

Method:

1. Mix the chilled milk with red sharbat and soaked basil seeds and serve chilled.