Mochai Masala Rice | Field Bean Masla Rice

Channa [Chickpea] Pulao has been on the "to cook" list for long, but since it requires pre-soaking, I almost always forget to get the pre-soaking done and it would get postponed. So on one of those usual chai sipping times when I decide on the lunch menu for the next day, I decided to make channa pulao and rushed immediately to soak a cup of chole. I hadn't emptied the channa from its packet into a container whereas the mochai [ dry field beans] that was neatly stored in my brand new air-tight box caught my eye. A moments laziness and I substitued field beans for channa in my mind and there it was - Mochai Masala Rice! :)

Very Easy to prepare for a lunch, along with some raita and papad it tastes super delicious. I would recommend you to use kitchen king masala and not substitute with any other curry powder. This Kitchen king masala powder along with field beans is the hero of the dish. I sometimes combine kitchen king masala with garam masala for variety rice recipes and they work well too. In this dish though, the kitchen king masala and the green chilli flavor is unbeatable.

Ingredients

Serves - 3
Spice Level - Moderate
Prep Time - 10 min + 8 hrs soak time
Cook Time - 15 min

Field Beans/Mochai - a little less than 1/2 cup [ I used dry variety, Its called Val Dal in Hindi]
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Onions - 1 sliced thinly
Tomato - 1 pureed
Green Chilli - 1
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 2 cloves
Jeera/Cumin - 1 Tsp
Kitchen King Masala - 1.5 Tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt - as per need
Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
Dry Bay Leaf - 1
Cloves - 2
Chopped Coriander Leaves - 2 Tbsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp

How do you do it

1. Soak the field beans for 6-8 hrs in enough water. Pressure cook the soaked field beans for 1-2 whistles until they are soft but firm. Make sure they are not too soft that they get mashed later. Retain 1/4 cup water used to pressure cook the mochai, drain the rest.

2. Cook 1 cup basmati rice in 1.5 cups of water with 1 tsp salt. Spread the cooked rice on a plate to cool and drizzle a few drops of oil on it.

3. Grind coarsely without any water - ginger, garlic and green chilli. Keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a kadai/wok, add the hing, bay leaf, cloves and jeera. Let them roast and give out a nice smell. Add the onions and saute till translucent.

5. Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and cook for a minute until the raw smell vanishes.

6. Add the tomato puree now and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.

7. Add the turmeric, kitchen king masala and 1 Tsp salt and stir well , saute for a minute.

8. Reduce to low flame. Add the cooked field beans now along with the 1/4 cup retained water and stir well so that its wrapped well with the masala.

9. Now add the rice and coriander leaves and mix well so the rice and field beans masala mixture combines well. Saute for a minute more. Switch off flame.

Yummy Mochai Masala Rice is ready! Enjoy!