Looking for a simple and easy to make brown rice recipe? Try this perfectly fluffy Brown Rice Chana Pulao – Instant Pot Brown Rice Chickpea Pilaf
What ingredients do I need to make the Brown Rice Chana Pulao – Instant Pot Brown Rice Chickpea Pilaf?
Ghee, bay leaf, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, onion, ginger garlic paste, tomato, ground turmeric, kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, dry mango powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, salt, Serrano pepper, cilantro and lemon juice.
Brown rice:
Preferably organic long grain brown basmati rice. Nonetheless sure short grained brown rice would work just fine.
Ginger garlic paste:
I used the combined packaged ginger garlic paste available in the Indian store. You can also mince fresh ginger and garlic to make your own paste.
Chickpea:
Dried chickpea. Soak the chickpea overnight in 2.5 cups of water.
How do I make Brown Rice Chana Pulao – Instant Pot Brown Rice Chickpea Pilaf?
Firstly, rinse the chickpea well. Further, soak the chickpea in 2.5 cups water overnight. Subsequently, when you are ready to cook drain out the water in a colander.
Also, rinse the brown rice well a few times. Further, when ready to cook, select saute on the instant pot and add ghee.
Furthermore, when the ghee is hot add bay leaf.
Then add star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds.
When the cumin seeds splutter, add onions. Keep stirring.
When the onions turn golden add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. Saute the tomatoes for about 30 seconds. Keep stirring.
Then add the spices and salt: ground turmeric, kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, dry mango powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, salt, and Serrano pepper. Keep stirring.
Then add the chickpea, rice and 1.5 cups water. Stir well.
Close the lid and select manual for 22 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. When done, sprinkle lemon juice and cilantro. Fluff the rice with a fork. Serve hot.
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Try some of our other recipes:
Instant Pot Dalia Upma / Bulgur Wheat

Brown Rice Chana Pulao – Instant Pot Brown Rice Chickpea
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried whole chickpeas (soaked overnight in 2.5 cups water)
- 1 cup brown basmati rice
- 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 dried bay leaf (tej patta)
- 1 star anise
- 3 whole cloves (laung)
- 1 cinnamon stick (2 inch piece of dalchini)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 onion (red) (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (either freshly minced or bottled)
- 1 tomato (finely chopped)
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (haldi)
- 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp mango powder (amchur/amchoor powder)
- 3/4 tsp ground coriander (dhaniya powder)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups water (for cooking)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped) (dhaniya ke patte)
- 1 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
Instructions
Prep
- Chop the onions, tomatoes, and cilantro.
- Rinse the rice a few times and drain it out in a colander. Drain out the water used to soak the chickpea.
Cook
- Select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal.
- Add ghee to the pot. When the ghee is hot, add bay leaf, stair anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds.
- When the cumin seeds begin to splutter in about 30 seconds add onions and ginger garlic paste. Keep stirring.
- When the onions turn golden in about 2 to 4 minutes add tomatoes. Stir for 30 seconds.
- Then add: ground turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, dry mango powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, salt, and Serrano pepper. Stir well.
- Add chickpea, rice, and 1.5 cups water. Stir well.
- Press cancel. Secure the lid on the pot. Select manual and cook at high pressure for 22 minutes. When cooking is complete, use natural pressure release to depressurize.
- Finally, add cilantro, and lemon juice. Fluff with a fork. Discard the bay leaf. Serve hot with pickle.