Chana Dal Recipe

Make tasty Chana Dal easily in a pressure cooker. Cook split chickpeas with ginger, garlic, onion, tomato, and aromatic spices for a cozy soup. It's vegan and gluten-free!

Turn split chickpeas, also known as chana dal, into a tasty soup using either an Instant Pot or a stovetop pressure cooker. This recipe combines hearty split chickpeas with aromatics such as ginger, garlic, onion, tomato, and spices. It's super simple to make and perfect if you're vegan or gluten-free.

This chana dal recipe is a variation of this Sindhi Dal Pakwan recipe, where boiled chana dal, is tempered with aromatic spices, and is served with crisp fried bread known as pakwan. Topped with spicy, sweet, tangy chutneys, and aromatics.

Looking for dinner ideas for Meatless Monday? Enjoy this delicious and healthy, one-pot Chana Dal recipe. It's perfect with a side of basmati rice, roti, or naan. I love to pair it with some Indian curry such as Aloo Gobi, or Jeera Aloo for a satisfying meal.

Palak Paneer, baked Bhindi Fry, or Indian-style Green Peas make excellent low-carb sides that go great with chana dal recipe.

In India, for vegetarians dal (lentils) is a must. A vegetarian meal includes some dal (lentils), vegetable curry (sabzi), roti (flatbread), and/or rice, yogurt, and some salad.

At my home, you will never run out of dal (lentils) varieties, we eat a lot of dal. LOL!! Yes, my hubby, and my daughter both love dal. Here's a collection of Lentils & Beans, you can check it out for some inspiration.

Here are some of my family favorite dal (lentils) recipes: Green Moong Dal, Dal Makhani, or Moong Dal Tadka.

Jump to:

• What is chana dal?
• Ingredients
• How to cook Chana Dal?
• Instant Pot Chana Dal
• Pressure Cooker Chana Dal
• How to store Chana Dal?
• Tips for delicious Chana Dal
• How to serve Chana Dal?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Indian Dal (Lentils) Recipes
• Chana Dal Recipe

What is chana dal?

Chana dal is basically split chickpeas. It's like regular chickpeas that have been split in half.

These split chickpeas are yellow in color and commonly used in Indian cooking to make dishes like dal (a kind of soup), curries, snacks, and desserts.

They're packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients, making them a healthy and tasty addition to meals.

Ingredients

• Chana dal (split chickpeas)
• onion
• tomatoes
• ginger
• garlic
• cumin seeds
• asafetida, (hing)
• spices - turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, homemade garam masala, and salt.
• lemon or lime juice
• cilantro
• oil, any neutral oil

How to cook Chana Dal?

Chana Dal recipe takes a little more time to cook compared to other split lentils like Moong Dal or Toor Dal. I usually soak chana dal for about 4 hours or a minimum of 30 minutes in hot water, covered, before cooking. If you're short on time, you can still cook it with a few extra minutes of pressure cooking without soaking.

Traditionally, Chana Dal is cooked first, either using a pressure cooker or in an open pot, which takes some time. The tempering or masala, using onion, tomatoes, and aromatics is prepared separately. After the dal is fully cooked, it is then added to the bhuna masala or the prepared tempering and simmered for the flavors to blend.

While the traditional method takes time, you can achieve same flavors using a quicker method, making this dal as one-pot using an instant pot or stovetop pressure cooker.

In this recipe, I cook this dal along with the bhuna masala, making it a one-pot, easy meal. I sauté onions, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic, with aromatic spices and than add the soaked chana dal to the instant pot and pressure cook. Thus, making it an quick and easy one-pot dish with same authentic flavors.

You can skip the tempering here and use my homemade bhuna masala, to make this dal in a jiffy. I make a batch of this curry sauce over the weekend, to whip some easy and delicious meals in no time. I simply mix the bhuna masala, with chana dal, add salt and water, and pressure cook. Honestly, it just can't get easier than this. Do give a try and let me know in the comments how it turned out.

Instant Pot Chana Dal

1. Heat oil in the Instant Pot using the sauté function.
2. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, and asafetida. Sauté until fragrant.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté until light golden brown.
4. Stir in minced ginger, garlic (if using), and green chilies. Sauté for a minute.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.
6. Now, add the ground spices: coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, amchur powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder (if using), and salt. Mix well.
7. Add the soaked and drained chana dal to the Instant Pot with 2 cups of water.
8. Close the Instant Pot with the lid and set the vent to the sealing position. Cancel the "Sauté" mode.
9. Select the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" mode and set the timer for 22 minutes at high pressure.
10. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes, then carefully do a quick pressure release.
11. Open the lid carefully and check the consistency of the dal. If it's too thick, you can add some more hot water to adjust the consistency.
12. Stir in the garam masala and a squeeze of lemon juice for added flavor.
13. Garnish the Chana Dal with fresh cilantro leaves.
14. Serve hot with rice, roti, or naan.
15. Enjoy your delicious Instant Pot Chana Dal recipe!

Pressure Cooker Chana Dal

1. Heat oil in the pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, and asafetida. Sauté until fragrant.
2. Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
3. Stir in minced ginger, garlic (if using), and green chilies. Sauté for a minute.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.
5. Now, add the ground spices - coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, amchur powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder (if using), and salt. Mix well.
6. Add the soaked and drained chana dal with 2 cups of water.
7. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook on high heat. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to low and let dal cook for 20 minutes or until the chana dal is cooked and soft.
8. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes, then carefully do a quick pressure release.
9. Open the lid carefully and check the consistency of the dal. If it's too thick, you can add some more hot water to adjust the consistency.
10. Stir in the garam masala and a squeeze of lemon juice for added flavor.
11. Garnish the Chana Dal with fresh cilantro leaves.
12. Serve hot with rice, roti, or naan.
13. Enjoy your delicious Pressure Cooker Chana Dal recipe!

How to store Chana Dal?

If you have any leftover chana dal recipe, store it properly to maintain freshness. Here's how I store the leftovers:

• Refrigerator: Allow the dal to cool down completely before storing it. Transfer it to an airtight container. Dal stores well for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
• Freezer: You can also freeze the cooked chana dal for a longer shelf life. Place it in freezer-safe containers or bags, and store it for up to 3 months. Defrost, reheat, and serve dal.

Tips for delicious Chana Dal

For flavorful recipe dal chana, here are some tips:

• Soak the chana dal before cooking. It helps reduce the cooking time and ensures even cooking.
• Adjust the spice levels to your preference. Add more red chili powder for extra heat, or reduce it for a milder flavor.
• For the tempering, use ghee instead of oil for a richer taste.
• To make it more nutritious and flavorful, consider adding leafy vegetables such as spinach, moringa leaves, methi leaves, or dill right after the dal is cooked. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes. Your flavorful, nutritious Spinach recipe dal chana is ready to be enjoyed.
• If you like recipe dal chana, try this Lauki Chana Dal recipe.

How to serve Chana Dal?

Recipe dal chana pairs well with a variety of dishes. Here are a few serving suggestions:

• Enjoy chana dal with steamed basmati rice or brown rice for a wholesome meal.
• It goes well with millets or quinoa.
• Serve it with Indian bread like rice, naan, or paratha.
• Serve this dal alongside Indian vegetable stir fry such as Jeera aloo, aloo bhindi, crispy arbi tuk, or low-carb dishes such as air fryer baingan, baingan methi, bhindi fry, or zucchini stir fry for a wholesome meal.
• We love to serve this dal with raita and salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are split peas and split chickpeas the same?

No, split peas and split chickpeas are not the same. Split peas are derived from dried green or yellow peas, while split chickpeas come from dried chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans.

Does chana dal need to be soaked?

Yes, soaking chana dal for at least 30 minutes before cooking is recommended to help reduce cooking time and improve digestibility. However, if you're short on time, you can still cook recipe dal chana without soaking, but it may require a longer cooking time.

Can you freeze cooked chana dal?

Yes, you can freeze cooked recipe dal chana for later use. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Indian Dal (Lentils) Recipes