Channa Jeera Palau

Pilaf (‘palau’ in Hindi) is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth. A rice pilaf with chickpeas (‘chana’) and cumin (‘jeera.’)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion, chopped finely
- 1 sweet red pepper, finely chopped
- 4 cups parboiled rice (ie: Uncle Ben’s)
- 1 Tbsp turmeric, ground
- 4 cups cooked chickpeas
- 4 cups stock
- 2 cups coconut water
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1 West-Indian pepper, whole
- Salt
Method
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1
In a pot, lightly roast the cumin in the oil and ghee until golden brown.
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2
Add the onion, garlic, sweet pepper and bay leaf. Cook 2 minutes.
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3
Add the rice. Mix well.
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4
Add the turmeric. Mix well.
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5
Add the chickpeas, stock, coconut water, whole pepper and salt.
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6
Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and steam for 15 minutes.
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7
Add the coconut cream. Mix carefully so as not to burst the pepper. Steam for 3 more minutes.
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8
Turn off the heat and let rest for 20 minutes before serving.