One Pan Chickpea Biryani

Serves 4

Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 

2 tsp garam masala

½ tsp ground cinnamon 

2 tsp ground coriander 

1 tbsp ground cumin 

1 tbsp sweet paprika 

3 cups cooked chickpeas (2 x 400g tin BPA free chickpeas, rinsed and drained)

¼ cup (65ml) coconut or olive oil 

2 small (280g) brown onions, peeled and finely sliced 

250g frozen spinach, broken into smaller 2cm pieces

1½ cups (370g) basmati rice, washed three times and drained

900ml vegetable or chicken stock 

½ - 1 tsp (1g) ground turmeric 

⅓ bunch (approx 1 cup) coriander leaves, picked, stalks finely chopped 

½ cup (125g) natural yoghurt

Salt and pepper 

Method

In a large bowl combine garlic, garam masala, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, sweet paprika, salt and pepper and mix. 

Add chickpeas and toss to coat. Heat a large casserole or fry pan on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp oil to the pan and coat, then add the chickpeas and cook to brown off for approximately 5 minutes, tossing throughout. Transfer chickpeas to a bowl, cover and set aside. 

Add the remaining oil to the pan, with the sliced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside (don’t cover or they will go soggy).

Add chickpeas and onions back into the pan and spread evenly, then spread the frozen spinach pieces around the pan with the basmati rice. Do not toss any of the ingredients. Pour stock around the pan and sprinkle the top with ground turmeric. 

Cover with a lid or a double layer of foil, tightly wrapped and cook for 10-12 minutes on low heat. 

Once the rice is cooked, add dollops of yoghurt and arrange coriander leaves and stalks and serve.