Dal Paratha is a whole wheat flatbread stuffed with chana dal (Bengal gram), spices, onions, and cooked until it creates a crispy outside. It’s a super filling breakfast when paired with a cup of tea or a bowl of yogurt for a healthy lunch. The chana dal paratha recipe gives you a lot of nutrition and is packed with plant-based protein.

About dal paratha

The chana dal paratha is a popular North Indian flatbread served in every single home with various variations. In my home, this paratha is always prepared with leftover dal, like normal mixed dal, toor dal, or white urad dal. If we have any dal from these the next morning, my mother always makes a dal paratha for breakfast.

We have that with butter and tea. With leftover dal, it is easier to make than cooking dal; you have some flour, dal, and water. All together, knead into a dough and roll the parathas and cook with your favorite ghee or oil.

But today, this recipe inspired me to make it through a blog. One day, while I was scrolling, I found it from a different angle, which captured my full attention. So, I thought, why not try this and share it on my blog too?

The best part about this stuffed dal paratha is the filling, which I like the most. Along with you have to do preparation to make this ahead of time before breakfast, because the chana dal needs to be soaked in water so that it cooks fast.

You can soak it overnight when you plan to make it the next morning, but I soak it for 4 hours only, which is also enough time. Next, the dal is cooked until soft; improperly cooked grain will ruin the taste. Also, make the dough smooth and pliable so that it rolls gently.

If you love to eat stuffed parathas, you can also try aloo paratha, onion paratha, sattu paratha, paneer paratha, and gobhi paratha.

Ingredients

Chana Dal– Soak the lentils for hours, then cook until soft.

Spices- Garam masala for earthy flavour, and dried mango powder for tangy flavour.

Green Chilies- For some heat, adjust according to your spice level.

Onion- For crunch, chop it into evenly thin pieces so they fill properly.

Salt- Regular white salt is good.

Wheat Flour- Use homemade or fresh store-bought atta.

Carom seeds- I add them to enhance the flavor; also, they help with digestion.

Water- Add gradually to knead the dough.

Ghee- Use desi ghee for the best parathas.

How to make chana dal paratha recipe

1. Rinse 1/2 cup of chana dal in clean water a couple of times and soak for 3 to 4 hours in enough water.

2. After that, add the soaked dal to a pressure cooker.

3. Now add 1 cup of water and cook on high heat for two to three whistles on high heat, then turn off the flame.

4. When the pressure drops, check whether the lentils are soft properly or not; if they remain hard, cook again for two whistles.

5. Now transfer the dal to a strainer to separate the grains from the water. Let it cool for some time.

6. When the cooked dal has cooled slightly, add it to a bowl.

7. Now add chopped onion, green chilies, salt, garam masala, and amchur (dried mango powder).

If you want, add some asafoetida (hing) or some fresh coriander leaves here.

8. Mix all the ingredients well, and the filling is ready.

9. Now add flour, salt, and carom seeds to a mixing bowl.

10. Mix them well and add water gradually to knead it into a smooth dough.

11. When the dough is smooth and pliable, it means it has the perfect texture.

12. Make medium-sized balls from the kneaded dough.

13. Now roll it gently into a small circle or fill it with a spoonful of filling.

14. Now seal its edges properly from all sides.

15. Then start rolling it gently into a round big chapati, approx 7 to 8-inch circle.

While rolling, some lentil grains come out naturally, so there is no problem. It’s normal, so make sure you roll gently.

16. Heat a tawa on medium to high heat and place the rolled chapati on it.

17. After a few seconds, turn it over and apply some ghee to its edges.

18. Then flip it over again and drizzle some ghee on this side too, covering the edges.

19. Cook it from both sides by pressing with a spoon or spatula so that it becomes crispy and golden.

20. When the golden bubbles start appearing, transfer it to a plate directly. Do the same process with the rest of the dough balls.

Serve it hot with a cup of masala chai and a fresh green chutney dip. Pair them with a bowl of fresh yogurt, boondi raita, or mint raita. To increase the spice level, enjoy them with green chili pickle. For kids’ favorites, serve them with tomato ketchup.

Pro Tips

Always soak the chana dal for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours before cooking to decrease the cooking time.

Make sure the lentils are gently soft, not mushy. Avoid making stuffing with hard grains, as they will ruin the taste.

If you want, you can rest the kneaded dough for 15-20 minutes to increase the smoothness.

Don’t panic if some grains come out while rolling the paratha; the taste remains the same.

Cook the paratha on medium heat; if you cook on high heat, the outside layer gets brown quickly, which tastes bitter.