Chana dal | Bengal gram recipe

Chana dal recipe – Delicious, spicy and healthy chana dal that goes well with rice or roti. Bengal gram or split skinned chickpeas are known as chana dal in Indian language. It is used in various Indian recipes – to make a dal curry, halwa, kheer, vada, pulao, masala powders. It is even used in curries along with vegetables like lauki, brinjal etc. In most households, one of the most common preparation is to make a simple dal dish to serve with rice.

This chana dal is good to serve with hot steamed rice, Ghee rice, Jeera rice, chapati, bhakri or roti along with some fresh veggie salad.

Chana dal is protein packed and nutrient rich. It includes zinc, folate and calcium. Chana dal is one of those lentils that has a very low glycemix index and is suitable even to those with diabetics.

The high fiber content is also said to reduce the bad cholesterol.

Tips to make chana dal

Onions: I have used a small onion. You can skip that. There would be no change in the taste as such.

Tomatoes: You can either use chopped tomatoes or pureed tomatoes as per your convenience. In most of our foods, I usually puree the tomatoes and use since the skin of the tomatoes don’t go well with my kids.

Spices: I keep the usage of spices and spice powders to the minimum in dal recipes as I prefer the flavor of dal than the spices. However more whole spices can be used in the tempering like bay leaf and a small cinnamon stick.

Soaking: To avoid stomach upset and bloating in toddlers & kids, it is always good to soak chana dal for at least 4 to 6 hours and then use in this chana dal recipe.

However soaking for at least 30 mins to 1 hour in hot water is crucial to cook the lentils fast.

For more Dal recipes, you can check
Dal makhani
Masoor dal
Moong dal
Dal fry
Dal palak

Simple chana dal recipe

Chana dal recipe | How to make chana dal

Chana dal is a flavorful & delicious side dish made with bengal gram, spices & herbs. Serve chana dal with rice.

Prep Time1 hour

Cook Time30 minutes

Total Time1 hour 30 minutes

Servings4 people

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

Ingredients to cook chana dal

• ½ cup chana dal or bengal gram
• 1¼ cup Water

For Tempering

• 2 tbsp ghee or oil or butter
• ½ to ¾ tsp cumin or jeera
• large pinch asafoetida or hing (optional)
• 1 small onion (about 4 tbsps chopped)
• 1 green chili chopped (skip if making for kids)
• ¾ tsp ginger paste or ginger garlic crushed or paste
• 1 medium tomato chopped finely (you can also puree)
• 1 red chili broken (less spicy variety)
• ½ tsp Salt or as per taste
• 1/8 to ¼ tsp ground turmeric or haldi
• ¼ to ¾ tsp red chili powder (use less if you have kids at home)
• ¼ to ½ tsp garam masala
• ¼ to ½ cup water ( or use as needed to bring to consistency)
• ¼ tsp dried fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi (optional)

For garnish & serving

• 2 tbsp coriander leaves or cilantro chopped finely
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or ¼ tsp dried mango powder (amchur powder)

How to make the recipe

Preparation for chana dal recipe

• Wash chana dal thoroughly until water runs clear.
• Soak it in water for 1 to 4 hours as per your convenience.
• Cook it in a pot or pressure cooker on a medium heat until completely done. Dal must hold the shape, yet get mashed well if you mash it .
• If you pressure cook you may need to cook it any where for 3 to 5 whistles depending on the brand of cooker.
• When the pressure goes down, open the lid.

Tempering chana dal

• Heat ghee or oil in the pan. Add cumin and red chili. Saute until cumin begins to splutter.
• Add hing. Add green chilies and onions. Saute very well until the onions turn lightly golden.
• Add ginger or ginger garlic paste. Saute until the raw smell goes away.
• Add Tomatoes, salt and turmeric.
• Saute and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and the raw smell disappears.
• Add chili powder and garam masala.
• Saute for 1 to 2 mins. Make sure raw smell of all the ingredients has gone completely.
• Add chana dal along with the left over stock or water in the cooker.
• Mix everything well and if needed add little water.
• Lightly mash the dal with the spatula to get a thick consistency.
• Allow to cook until the dal begins to bubble well. Do not overcook.
• Add crushed kasuri methi and amchur powder (optional).
• Stir and turn off the stove. Add some coriander leaves.
• Transfer chana dal to a serving bowl. Serve with rice, ghee, papad or a veg salad.

Video

Video of chana dal recipe

NUTRITION

Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 293mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 20.5mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 2.3mg

Notes

Reduce the amount of chili powder, garam masala & skip green chilies if making for toddlers & kids.

Cooking chana dal

1. Wash chana dal well a few times. Soak it for 1 to 4 hours depending on your convenience.

2. Drain the water and add the chana dal to the pressure cooker. Then pour water.

3. Cook for 3 to 5 whistles depending on the size and brand of the cooker. You can also keep the dal in a bowl and pour water. Cover it and keep inside the cooker. Cook for 5 whistles.

4. Chana dal must be fully cooked but not turn mushy. It must be grainy.

How to make chana dal recipe

5. Add ghee or oil to a kadai. When it is hot add cumin and allow to sizzle.

6. Then add broken red chilies and fry for 30 seconds. Quickly add hing.

7. Next add onions and fry until golden.

8. Add ginger and saute just until the raw smell goes away.

9. Transfer chopped tomatoes, turmeric and salt.

10. Saute well until the tomatoes turn mushy. Then add red chili powder and garam masala.

11. Again fry this for a few mins till the raw smell goes away.

12. Next transfer the cooked dal along with the stock in cooker.

13. Mash gently and cook for a few minutes until the dal turns thick. Add kasuri mathi and amchur.

14. Cook further for 1 to 2 mins. Sprinkle coriander leaves.

Serve chana dal with plain rice, paratha or roti.