chana dal recipe with step by step photos – here is a delicious recipe of spiced dal curry that i make often with chana dal (split chickpea or bengal gram). a low fat, gluten-free (don’t add asafoetida) and vegan dish. chana dal is high in fiber, a rich source of protein and also a good option for people who are on a low carb or diabetic-friendly diet.
chana dal is also known as bengal gram. these lentils have a sweet and nutty taste. chana dal comes from black chickpeas (kala chana). they are split and the outer cover is removed. these lentils are also powdered to give besan or gram flour.
the flavors & taste of this chana dal fry is north indian and the preparation is like the way we make in punjabi households.
chana dal is a favorite at home. i make variety of chana dal recipes like chana dal sundal or cholar dal or maah chole ki dal.
but most of the times i make this simple chana dal fry. the chana dal is best served with steamed basmati rice or jeera rice and a side raita, kachumber (salad) or a vegetable dish. you could also serve it with rotis or naan along with cucumber raita and some papads.
for faster cooking of the chana dal, its best to soak them in water for an hour. you can cook the dal in a pressure cooker or in a pan. the chana dal should be cooked soft, so that these lentils are easy to digest.
how to make chana dal
cooking chana dal
1. pick and rinse ¾ cup chana dal in running water for a couple of times. drain.
2. soak the chana dal in enough water for an hour. if you have less time than soak the lentils in hot water for about 30 minutes.
3. later drain the water.
4. add chana dal in the pressure cooker. also add ¼ tsp add turmeric powder. for cooking the lentils in a pot or pan, kindly check the notes section of the recipe details above.
5. add about 2.5 to 3 cups water.
6. pressure cook the chana dal for 7 to 8 whistles on a high flame, till they are softened and well cooked.
7. when the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. check whether the chana dal is cooked well or not. below pic shows cooked chana dal. cover and keep the cooked lentils aside.
making chana dal fry
8. heat 2 tbsp oil or ghee in a pan. add ¾ tsp cumin seeds first and fry for a few seconds till they splutter.
9. add the chopped garlic. about 4 to 5 garlic cloves which have been finely chopped.
10. fry till the garlic become light brown.
11. now add ½ cup chopped onions.
12. stir and saute the onions.
13. saute onions till they become golden.
14. now add the chopped tomatoes. about 2 medium tomatoes, chopped.
15. add finely chopped ginger and green chili. 1 inch ginger and 1 green chili, finely chopped.
16. stir well.
17. then add all the dry spice powders – ½ tsp red chili powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp garam masala powder, ½ dry mango powder, a pinch of asafoetida and 1 tsp coriander powder.
18. stir well and continue to saute.
19. saute till the tomatoes are softened and the fat starts to leave the side of the masala mixture.
20. add the crushed kasoori methi/dry fenugreek leaves. 1 tsp kasuri methi which has been crushed.
21. stir again.
22. pour the cooked chana dal along with its stock to the sauteed mixture. you can also add the sauteed masala mixture to the cooked dal.
cooking chana dal to desired consistency
23. stir very well. if the dal looks thick, add about ½ cup water or more if required.
24. season with salt.
25. stir and simmer the dal for 6 to 8 minutes till you get medium consistency in the chana dal.
26. the dal is neither thick nor thin. but you can keep the consistency thick if you want. if serving chana dal with rice, then medium consistency is preferred. if serving chana dal with rotis or phulkas, then you can make a slightly thick consistency.
27. add 1 to 2 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves. instead of adding now, you can also garnish the chana dal fry with coriander leaves, while serving.
28. stir finally.
29. serve chana dal with rotis or steamed basmati rice or cumin rice or saffron rice and a side raita, salad or a vegetable dish. you could also serve it with naan along with cucumber raita and some papads.
more dal recipes
Chana Dal
INGREDIENTS
for pressure cooking chana dal
- ¾ cup chana dal (bengal gram or split chickpea)
- 2.5 to 3 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
for tempering the chana dal
- 2 medium sized tomatoes - chopped
- ½ cup finely chopped onions
- 1 inch ginger - finely chopped
- 4 to 5 garlic - finely chopped
- 1 green chili - chopped
- ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) or add as required
- 1 teaspoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 2 tablespoon oil or ghee (clarified butter)
- salt as required
- a few coriander leaves (cilantro) for mixing towards the end or garnishing
INSTRUCTIONS
pressure cooking chana dal
- pick and rinse the chana dal well in running water.
- soak the dal in enough water for an hour.
- drain the lentils and add them to the pressure cooker along with turmeric powder. add 2.5 to 3 cups water and stir well.
- on a high flame, pressure cook the lentils for 7 to 8 whistles or more, till the dal is softened and well cooked.
- keep the cooked chana dal aside.
making chana dal
- in another pan, heat oil or ghee.
- add the cumin first and fry for a few seconds till they splutter.
- then add the garlic and fry till they become light brown.
- now add the onions and fry till they get golden.
- now add the tomatoes, ginger and green chili.
- stir and add all the dry spice powders - turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, asafoetida, dry mango powder and coriander powder.
- saute till the tomatoes get cooked and the oil starts to leave the side of the mixture.
- add the kasoori methi and stir.
- pour the cooked chana dal along with its stock to the sauteed masala mixture or vice versa. season with salt.
- stir and simmer the dal for 6-8 minutes till you get medium consistency of the dal. the chana dal is neither thick nor thin.
- garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- serve the chana dal hot with some basmati rice or rotis or bread.
NOTES
- if the dal becomes thick, then after adding the sauteed masala tempering mixture, add some water and simmer for some minutes.
- if the dal become thin, simmer for a longer time so that you get the right consistency.
- first soak the lentils for an hour.
- then take 4. cups of water along with the drained lentils in a pot.
- also add turmeric powder. cover and cook the lentils for 45 minutes to 1 hour, till they are softened. add more water if required.
- if the mixture froths, then cook uncovered initially and then later cover and cook. a few drops of oil can also be added to reduce the frothing.
How do I make this recipe I don’t have a pressure cooker I am using pots and frying pans
soak chana dal for an hour or a couple of hours. drain the water, rinse the lentils in fresh water and then cook them in a pot or pan with enough water. they will take 45 minutes to 1 hour to cook. add a few drops of oil, so that the frothing reduces while cooking. you can cover the pan, but if water starts frothing, then cook uncovered. hope this helps.
I tried your receipe for dinner and it was really delicious.
thanks jean for both the review and rating in chana dal recipe.
Just awesome taste..,never thought Chanda dal can also be tasty
thank you for this lovely feedback and the rating. happy cooking.
Love the recipe. I made it differently. I sautéed tempering mixture first in the pressure cooker and then added the lentils and pressure cooked up to 12 whistles. I also added a pinch of baking powder to make sure the lentils are perfectly cooked.
thanks bharat for sharing the method. i also do this way at times. both the methods work. the one-pot method is a quick one. thanks for the rating and review on the chana dal recipe too.
One of my favorite recipes, and I make often, with some variations now and then. I live in Chicago, where fortunately I am able to get the ingredients. Thank you so much for sharing it!
thank you daisy for this positive review on chana dal. some ingredients can be skipped if they are not available. welcome and happy cooking.
this has become my favourite dal, all those little additions like mango powder and fenugreek really give this dish a wonderful flavour. Thanks for sharing Dassana, my family are also appreciating the results of your recipe, i am going to try many more!
thank you phil. yes do try some more recipes and i am sure you will like them. happy cooking.
I cooked this Dal, and all the Family members enjoyed the different flavours.
Thank You so much for making our Stomach this Happy. God Bless You
thank you farida. glad to know your family members liked the chana dal recipe. welcome and happy cooking.
I have tried this quite a few times and it was absolutely delicious.Love it with steamed basmati rice .
thanks winnie for this positive feedback as well as the rating. steamed basmati rice goes very well with this chana dal recipe. even roti or paratha tastes good.
Awesome flavour! I made this without onion and garlic and it was still delicious 🙂 Thank you!
thanks for the feedback vidya. happy cooking.
Every time I think I’ve discovered the best recipe yet, I’m astonished by a new one. This one embarrassed me at work all week because I couldn’t help but moan every time I tasted it. I’m making more this weekend!
I am french, vegetarian, and I like so much your site. I am lucky to live not far away from Strasbourg, (where there is a good Indian store) so I can found all what I need to follow exactly your receipt. It’s a great pleasure to try new receipt and to make discover to my friends the best food all over the world
Thanks for all.
loup
thanks a lot loup for this lovely comment 🙏. even if you do not get some of the ingredients that are used in indian cooking, then they can be skipped. welcome and happy cooking 🙂
I’ve made this several times and it is really delicious but I can’t quite get the bit where “fat leaves the sides of the masala mixture.” I just can’t get that “oily” look even though I’ve cooked it for longer. Could this be because I’m using olive oil instead of ghee. How long should it take to achieve this oily look. I tried for half an hour.
jeanne is could be due to the olive oil. it depends on the viscosity of oil or fat used. it takes about 7 to 8 minutes after adding tomatoes.
Thanks Dassana. I will try the recipe with ghee and see how it turns out. I am wondering whether temperature has something to do with it too, I have been using a non-stick frypan but don’t think it gets to a high enough temperature and seems to “stew” rather than cook. I might use my copper bottom pan which seems to cook everything perfectly although harder to clean.
jeanne, you can also use sunflower oil or peanut oil apart from ghee. i have made many recipes in non stick pans on a low to medium-low flame and i would be able to see the fat leaving the sides of the masala. so i don’t think its due to the non stick pan. you can try in the copper pan also.
Thank you for the recipe, made it today and it was yummy.
welcome rannie
Hello Dassana,
I’ve used many of your recepies for daily cooking. All have turned out so delicious. Thank you so much!!
Welcome Smita. Glad to know this.