It is a semi-dry, thick and spicy lentil curry that is incredibly delicious. Making Dal Chana is yet easy and quick. Pre-cooked dal is simmered together with onion tomato base gravy (masala). Lastly, flavorful tarka with cumin seeds, garlic, and onions makes it more delicious.
This lentils curry becomes both spicy and nutty in taste after cooking with bold spices and herbs. It is usually creamy and smooth in texture, with a slightly thick consistency. Only takes 30 minutes to cook and serve it with rice, roti, nana, riata and salads.
What is Chana dal?
Chana dal is a Hindi term, commonly used for skinned and split Bengal gram or kala chana. These black chickpeas are smaller than white chickpeas (kabuli chana). So, the English name for this dal is split chickpeas lentil.
This term serves a dual purpose: a specific type of lentil and the dish name as well. It is fully packed with various fiber, protein and nutrients, essential for a good health.
Is it necessary to soak dal chana before cooking?
No, is not always necessary, but it is recommended. Do you know soaking reduces overall cooking time and make the dal easier to digest! Thus, I always recommend you, soak the lentil for at least one hour or overnight.
If you forget to soak the dal or you were busy, you can still cook it in a regular pan. But it will take 30 to 40 minutes. Using a pressure cooker, it will take only 10 to 15 minutes to cook without soaking.
What are the essential ingredients for chana dal Recipe?
This traditional dal curry preparation requires only pantry essential ingredients. This is a quick and hassle-free vegetarian recipe of Indian cuisine, so I will make it in north Indian cooking style. All the ingredients and their quantities are listed in the recipe card below. Let’s explore what we need in it.
- Dal Chana – For the perfect Indian chana dal fry recipe, we need fresh 1 cup of dal. Soak dal for at least one hour. Soaking is key to achieving a perfect soft texture of dal. It also reduces the cooking time. It is also protein-rich dal, best suitable for vegetarian.
- Onion – Any Pakistani dish can’t be cooked without onion. Take one large onion (about 100g). Peel the outer cover of the onion and cut it into two halves. Now chop it into thin slices for the base of the masala or gravy.
- Tomato – We need only two medium-sized ripped red tomatoes (100g). Prep: Wash and make a fine puree in a blander by adding small amount of water.
- Garlic and Ginger – Adds a pungent, earthy taste that becomes sweeter and milder when cooked. So, we have to add one table spoon of each. Or you can mince one-inch piece of ginger (20g) and 10 to 12 cloves of garlic. You can also use ginger garlic paste as well.
- Green Chilies – Take 2 -3 green chilies are enough to add natural heat. Wash them properly and chopped them.
- Ground Spices – All basic kitchen spices will go in this recipe like salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder. These seasoning are enough but you can also add black pepper instead of garam masala and red chili powder.
- Oil – Any type of natural oil or ghee is best for this recipe. I am using here season cooking oil and ghee for cook and tadka as well.
- Fresh Coriander leaves – Feel free to go with either fresh coriander leaves or kasuri methi for garnishing at the end. You can also add both of them if available in kitchen.
- For Tadka or Temper – We need cumin seed, sliced cut ginger and garlic, dry red chili and ghee.
How to make chana dal recipe at home?
There are several ways to cook daal chana. You can prefer either using a traditional pan, Pressure cooker or instant pot. The choice is yours based on what you have available in your kitchen. Please follow my step by step detail guide and make the recipe easily at your home.
Soak the chana Dal – Soaking is important because it helps the dal absorb moisture, making it softer. This reduces cooking time and makes it easier to cook. Soak one cup split chickpea lentil for at least one hour.
Rinse The Dal – After soaking, rinse the dal in a large bowl under running water. Use your fingers to wash it 4 to 5 times until the water is clearer or less milky. Now Drain the water properly.
Cook The Lentil – Add one cup of channa dal in in 3 cups of water in a deep bowl along with one teaspoon of salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Cook the lentil for 20 to 30 minutes over medium heat. Always skim off the foam that forms on the surface of the dal while boiling. If you are using pressure cooker then cook it for 3 to 4 whistles.
Drain the Dal – Once dal is cooked. For checking purpose, take one or two pieces of dal and press it in between your thumb and forefinger. If the dal breaks without any resistance or grainy feel, it is fully cooked, and drains it now. It should not be mushy. keep the cooked dal aside for later use.
Make Masala
Saute the Onion – Take a deep large pan and saute the onion over medium heat in preheated oil. It normally takes 4-5 minutes.
Add Ginger Garlic – Add ginger garlic to pan and keep stirring until raw smell goes way (for one minute). Add splash of water if it sticks to pan. Keep cooking until onion are light brown.
Add Tomato Puree – Next add homemade tomato puree to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it mixes well with the onion and herbs. Please maintain the temperature on medium flame while cooking tomato masala.
Spice Powders – It is time to add all spices in this recipe expect garam masala, which we will add at the end. Mix them well and keep stirring constantly. Deglaze the pan with a splash of water, if spices stick to the bottom of the pan.
Add Dal – When the oil begins to separate and bubbles form in the masala, it means the masala is ready. Now it’s time to add the chana dal to the pan. Mix it with masala together by stirring continuously.
Water – Add Half cup of water and allow it to simmer with masala and absorb all the flavors and taste at medium to low heat. Or adjust the dal consistency as per your liking. Don’t forget to add green chili as well.
Black Pepper – Once it begins to thicken, add our black pepper or garam masala and mix it well. It will make it more aromatic.
Fresh Coriander Leaves – Once the daal is ready add chopped coriander leaves or Kasoori Methi. Stir them well and sever it hot.
Tarka – This step is optional. In a small pot, heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of ghee. Then add ginger, garlic, and dry red chilies and fry until they become aromatic. We will add cumin seeds at the end otherwise it will burn. Mix them well and pour it on the dal. Your dal is now read to eat.
Please also check my Pakistani dishes such as Dal tadka, Chana masala Dal mash is also a world-famous curry.
How to Cook chana dal fry in Instant pot?
Delicious instant pot recipe of chickpeas lentil is easy to make, Just follow my few simple steps guide.
- Press saute mode after turning on the instant pot.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in the instant pot and combine sliced onion in it. Stir fry until onion is slight light brown.
- Add minced ginger garlic to the pot and saute it for 30 seconds. Next, add tomato puree and ground spices in instant pot and simmer until oil separates.
- Combine pre-soaked and drained dal in the pan and saute for 3 minutes while stirring regularly.
- Pour two and a half cups of water into the pan and stir all ingredients well.
- Now cook the dal by secure the instant pot with a lid and close the pressure valve. Set 10 to 12 minutes timer at high pressure cook.
- Let the pressure release naturally of instant pot or wait for 12 to 15 minutes. Then release the pressure. After that, open the lid and check the dal consistency. It should be soft but not mushy.
- Adjust salt and spice levels after the taste test. If the dal is runny, cook it until thick.
- Add garam masala and kasuri methi to enhance the taste and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.
How to Serve chana Dal Fry?
There are several combinations to enjoy this delicious and spicy dhaba style chana dal. Some of them are below.
- With Roti—Enjoy this dal with roti, soft and warm buttery garlic naan, phulka, paratha, and any type of flat bread.
- With Rice – Jeera rice, steamed basmati rice, pilua rice are incredibly pair well with this dhaba style dal fry recipe.
- With Riata – Any type of the yogurt riata is compulsive with it (in my opinion).
- With salads – Any type of vegetable salad bowl complements it and balance the diet beautifully.
- With Lemon and Pickles – To add more tangy and zesty notes squeeze a lemon wedge and add mix pickles in your plate.
How to Store and Reheat this lentil dish?
Storing: Always cock enough lentil stew that consumed in the same day. If I talk about storing leftover chana, cool it down at room temperature first. Then place yellow split pea curry in airtight container and store for 2 to 3 days in the fridge.
Reheat: Utilize the microwave oven or stovetop to reheat this dal curry properly on medium heat. Add water to adjust the dal’s consistency. Stir well and adjust spice level as well.
Why me and My Family love this dal?
Whenever I cooked dal chana in Lahori restaurant style with black pepper, my dad scooped it up with a spoon without any roti and rice. He loves it a lot every time, and I was wondering why he enjoys it so much.
Leave it; it is an unsolved mystery for me till now. Many guests and customers appreciated me after enjoying this easy lentil curry recipe. I hope you will also love this recipe and become a staple dish of your weekly menu. 😊
What can be other variations of this recipe?
As you know, this is a versatile dish. One can easily make many other dishes by adding different ingredients. There are some famous dishes which are made using dal chana.
- Dal Palak (Spinach) – Add blanched palak in the cooked dal.
- Lauki Dal – include lauki with dal and cook it together.
- Aloo Dal – Add aloo and dal and cook it.
- Dal Chicken – Add chicken with dal to enjoy delicious combo
- Dal with Eggplant – Impart fried or roasted eggplant pieces to the cooked dal channa.
- Dal Khichdi – combine yellow split pea with rice and cook.
FAQs
How many calories are in this dal curry?
A single serving contains about 100 to 150 calories. But this can vary depending on which spices are used and which cooking techniques is used to cook this dal.
What is difference between chana dal and dal tadka.
In this recipe we uses only chana ki, while dal tadka combines three types of dal – toor, masoor, and chana. Dal tadka is finished with a tempering just before serving, which isn’t required for chana daal curry.
Is chana good for weight loss?
Yes, chana is definitely good for health and weight loss. Due to its high fiber and protein content, which can help in feeling full longer and manage hunger. It also helps to manage blood pressure as well.
Is this curry spicy?
Yes this is a spicy and a bit sweet in taste and thick in consistency. But you can change it according to you liking by adjusting increasing or decreasing red chili powder and green chilis.
What other types of lentils can I cook following this Recipe?
You can easily make masoor dal, toor dal, moong dal and dal tadka. By following this recipe you can easily make any Indian lentil.
Chana dal Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dal Chana
- 5-6 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 Large Onion (100g)
- 2 medium Tomatoes (100-120g)
- 1 Tablespoon Minced Ginger
- 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 2-3 pieces Green Chilies
- 2 Tablespoons Chopped Coriander leaves
- 1 Tablespoon Kasuri Methi
- 1&⅓ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Red chili Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin powder
For Tadka
- 3-4 Tablespoons oil
- 1 Teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 Teaspoon sliced Ginger
- 1 Teaspoon sliced garlic
- 2-3 pieces Dry Red Chilies
Instructions
- Soak the Daal – Soaking is important because it helps the dal absorb moisture, making it softer. This reduces cooking time and makes it easier to cook. Soak one cup split chickpea lentil for at least 45 minutes. If you don’t soak them cook it for more time.
- Rinse The Dal – After soaking, rinse the dal in a large bowl under running water. Use your fingers to wash it 4 to 5 times until the water is clearer or less milky. Now Drain the water properly.
- Boil The Dal – Add one cup of channa dal in in 3 cups of water in a deep bowl and cook it for 20 to 30 minutes over medium heat. Always skim off the foam that forms on the surface of the dal while boiling. If you are using pressure cooker then cook it for 3 to 4 whistles.
- Drain the Dal – Once it is cooked. For checking purpose, take one or two pieces of dal and press it in between your thumb and forefinger. If the dal breaks without any resistance or grainy feel, it is fully cooked, and drains it now. It should not be mushy.
Make Masala
- Saute the Onion – Take a deep large pan and saute the onion over medium heat in preheated oil. It normally takes 4-5 minutes.
- Add Ginger Garlic – Add ginger garlic to pan and keep stirring until raw smell goes way (for one minute). Add splash of water if it sticks to pan. Keep cooking until onion are light brown.
- Tomato Puree – Next add homemade tomato puree to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it mixes well with the onion and herbs. Please maintain the temperature on medium flame while cooking.
- Ground spice – It is time to add all ground spices expect garam masala, which we will add at the end. Mix them well and keep stirring constantly. Deglaze the pan with a splash of water, if spices stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Add Dal – When the oil begins to separate and bubbles form in the masala, it means the masala is ready. Now it’s time to impart our boiled dal to the pan. Mix the it with masala together by stirring continuously.
- Water – Add Half cup of water and allow it to simmer with masala and absorb all the flavors and taste at medium to low heat. Or adjust the dal consistency as per your liking. Don't forget to add green chili as well.
- Black Pepper – Once the dal begins to thicken, add our black pepper or garam masala and mix it well. It will make it more aromatic.
- Fresh Coriander Leaves – Once the daal is ready add chopped coriander leaves or Kasoori Methi. Stir them well and sever it hot.
- Tarka – This step is optional. In a small pot, heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of ghee. Then add ginger, garlic, and dry red chilies and fry until they become aromatic. We will add cumin seeds at the end otherwise it will burn. Mix them well and pour it on the dal. Your dal is now read to eat.
