Chole Briyani

Wash the rice and let it soak for 15-20 minutes. Slice the onion thinly and slit the green chilies into 2. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the tempering spices (cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, and fennel) and fry everything for a few seconds. Add the sliced onions and green chilies and saute for a few minutes until the onions turn brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, and salt and mix everything well and fry for a few more minutes. Transfer the contents into a rice cooker along with 2 cups of water, chickpeas, and mint leaves. Mix everything well and let it cook in the brown rice mode until done. Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro and serve hot with raita.

Note:

Brown rice is the ideal whole grain for diabetics (my father who is a diabetic saw less raise in blood sugar after consuming brown rice as compared to white rice). It also helps to reduce cholesterol because of its high fiber content and is also ideal for a weight-loss diet. For starters who may not like the size and taste of the grain, you can start with brown basmati rice. This is almost close to white basmati rice