Chicken Chick Pea and Sweet Corn Pulao

The onset of autumn invokes a sudden gush of chill inside, kind of making you awake from your slumber and prepares you for the winter ahead. Couple of weeks ago, I took out our winter clothes. I had seen my parents how earnestly every autumn, they would take out all woolies, blankets and quilts/rajai/lep, from store room or attic and then they would sun-bathed them for the entire day out on the terrace of our home.

We would say that “ro-od poano” in Bengali and in the night we would then snuggle up, with the warmth of that sun-bathed quilt or blanket. Trying to relive those moments, I did put the winter coats and jackets on hangers and placed them on drying lines and put them near the balcony window of our apartment. Now as a small knit society building, we are not allowed to hang clothes outside in our balcony. But thankfully there are couple of windows in our apartment and the one giant balcony door from where sun-rays stream in, striking beautifully against the wooden floor. All this winter season provided if it's sunny and shiny,I have decided whenever I will see the opportunity to do this, will do it again.

Anyhow, and no matter how hard I try layering up myself with warm clothes and clinging on to the old monkey cap I have, whenever I see barren trees and branches, I start to feel the cold even more. Oh it’s the Bengali in side me who is afraid of winter nothing else!! Jokes apart but to be honest winter is the most glamorous season also. You know when you see a lady or a gentleman wearing classic coat with matching scarf and gloves, you know it will fathom a lot of attention. All eyes glued to it, gives you kind of a Casa Blanca moment, blown away. Anyhow glamorize or to de-glamorize yourself is a personal choice and one should always follow ones heart even if the outside world feels the other way, but at the same time maintaining a sense of decency.

Somebody told me couple of years ago “Cooking is also an art” just like dressing up oneself !! The way you choose the freshest of all ingredients, carefully chop and cut it, then stir/fry it at appropriate temperature and then choosing the cutlery to serve it...It all conjour upto the grand finale or the product that you are making or cooking for.”

And sometimes when you want to quickly finish doing your “piece of art” and also do not want to compromise on creating healthy meal, which should also satisfy the artist inside you, then one-pot meals are the best. Don’t know about you, but for an everyday cook like me “pieces of art” means edible food or a normal meal you can cook in comfy of your home with the freshest ingredients available in your panty. I wouldn’t say I don’t like to explore, making exotic cuisine but to me a one pot meal or a dal with warm cooked rice is far better than those exotic ingredients which creates a dish never heard of.

I have always liked one-pot meal , once made then served quickly and ready to be eaten, from saucepan direct to serving bowl or plate. This chicken, chick peas and sweet corn pulao is one such one-pot meal.

Now to the recipe

Chicken Chick peas and Sweet corn pulao

Recipe requirements( Serves 4-5 )

• 1 and half cup of basmati rice/gobindo bhog chal/sona masoori
•  2 cups of Roasted chicken breast or niblets pieces- Recipe here
• 1 can of chick peas or 2 cups of pre-cooked chick peas
• 1 cup of sweet corn
• 1 medium size tomato
• 1 medium onion
• 2 garlic
• 1 tsp of ginger grated
• For seasonings and tempering
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• ½ tsp of cardamom powder
• ½ tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 2-3 dry red pepper
• 2 tej patta or bay leaf
• 3-4 cloves
• 2 cardamoms whole
• 2 star anise (optional)
• 2-3 tbs of cooking oil/sada tel

Method

• Soak the rice in water for 10 mints then wash it properly with water about two to three times. Drain the excess water.
• Chop tomato, onion, garlic and ginger. Pre- cook chick peas in pressure cooker for two whistles or you may use chick pea from cans. Put the sweet-corn kernels with enough water in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at high for 2 mints or till they turn soft.
• Now heat up a saucepan, add in cooking oil, add in dry red pepper and tej patta, cloves and cardamom and star anise.
• Add in chopped onions, garlic and ginger.Fry till the rawness is gone about 4-5 mints at med-high flame.
• Now add in chick peas, chicken roast pieces – (For the recipe of roast chicken, you can find details Heree ) and sweet corn. Add all the seasonings- red pepper powder, cardamom, cinnamon powder, salt and sugar.
• Now add in tomato and keep on frying till tomatoes turn soft and pulpable.If required splash some water over it.
• Now add in rice and coat well this mixture over rice. Do not stir/fry vigorously, use a gentle hand and try to stir just few times otherwise rice grains will tend to break.
• When the rice grains become shiny and all the masala is coated well. Add in about 2 cups of water or put the level of water at least two fingers high above the rice mixture level.
• Let it cook for about 10-12 mints or till the water is absorbed. When the rice has swelled up absorbing the flavor and water, switch off the gas/turn off the hob and transfer the saucepan to cool off. Let it sit there for half an hour and then open the saucepan lid. Sprinkle a tsp of lemon juice now and mix well.
• Transfer this saucepan to the dinning table now. You can even make this pulao beforehand and reserve it to serve later on. Just reheat this in oven at 175 deg for 10 mints, covered or microwave it for 3-4 mints. I would suggest oven reheat method is better than microwave reheat method for pulao.
• Any raita or a gravy based curry like Shahi Korma , makes it even more filling and great meal accompaniments.

Hope you all had a lovely Thanks Giving Day and today hopefully you all in US are gearing up for the "Black Friday".Enjoy this weekend...

And thank you all for being part of my small world and encouraging me to write more with your kind words here.

Happy Cooking