Chana Dal Recipe
This chana dal recipe involves cooking chana dal in a pressure cooker with the basic spices and frying it in a pan with onion, tomato, green chili, and ginger. Its taste is sweet, spicy, and savory.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chana dal
- 2.5 to 3 cups water
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped or grinded
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 2 green chili, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- ⅛ tsp asafoetida
- salt to taste
Instructions
- First, take one cup of chana dal in a bowl.
- Then rinse them in clear water twice or thrice. Soak them for 20-30 minutes and keep them aside.
- Add soaked chana dal in a pressure cooker on medium heat.
- Then add 2.5 to 3 cups of water.
- Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/8 tsp asafoetida, and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well and cover the cooker lid. Cook the chana dal until 7 to 8 whistles or 10- 12 minutes on a medium heat.
- When the pressure comes down naturally open the cooker lid. Then check if the chana dal becomes soft or mushy with the spoon. If not pressure cook again until they are softened.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Then add chopped onion and garlic cloves. Stir and saute them until they are a little golden.
- Now add tomato and ginger paste. Stir and continue to saute.
- Add chopped green chili.
- Then add cooked chana dal to the pan and cook dal for 5 to 6 minutes or until the dal has a thick consistency.
- Now add 1/4 tsp garam masala powder. Mix well.
- When the dal is thick in consistency. Add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.
- Mix them well and serve hot or warm.
Notes
- Soaking is an essential key for making this chana dal recipe. Soaking lentils for at least 30 minutes makes them smooth and mushy. If you do not soak it will longer take time to cook.
- After cooking if your chana dal is thick in consistency then add more water while simmering.