Healthy and finger-licking delicious Chana Dal, Bengal Gram or Split Black Chickpea Curry – quick to make and tempered with onion, tomato, herbs, and spices.
Lentils are a humble, constant and significant part of Indian Cuisine. Among all the lentils which we have in our pantry – and we have a lot of them – Chana Dal or Bengal Gram Lentil, has been my favorite.
What is Chana Dal?
Chana Dal is split and husked Black Chickpeas. Chana or Arhar Dal are the basic ingredient of the popular “Tadka Dal”. It is a frequent visitor on Indian dining tables, especially in Northern India. Chana is very nutritious like other lentils – it is rich in Protein, Iron, Folate and Fiber.
Chana Dal is also available as Besan or Gram Flour when it is ground to flour. Besan is great for managing diabetes and is Gluten-Free making Chana Dal a win-win on both health and taste fronts – please give it a try!
Chana Dal finds its place between the modest yet gratifying – Arhar (Toor) Dal and the treat(ish)- Chole (Chana Masala or Chickpeas Curry). In this post, I’ll share with you the Chana Dal recipe that I learned from my mom and devoured for as long as I can remember. My favorite ingredient in the recipe is Kasoori Methi or dried Fenugreek Leaves. Fenugreek leaves have a little bitter(ish) flavor that enhances Chana Dal’s taste significantly.
Which tempering goes well with Chana Dal Tadka?
Chana Dal Tadka tastes great with onion, tomato, ginger and garlic tempering. Along with all the other herbs and spices, Kasoori methi is the ingredient that just marries so well with Chana Dal; please give it a try.
I’ve put together a document with “5 lentils for the week” in an effort to plan our meals better. In the post I’ve shared a PDF which has a table on which tempering(s) go well with with Dal/Lentil. Please read the blog post or download the PDF to refer.
If you feel short of time to prepare dinner, you may freeze the Onion-Tomato Tadka or Tempering, which I make ahead and freeze over the weekend. For other meal-prep ingredients, please refer to my post here.
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What are the Key Ingredients for Chana Dal Tadka?
- 1 Cup Chana Dal, 250 g
- 3 Cups Water
- 2 tbsp Ghee/Oil
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Tomato
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 inch Ginger
- 1 Green Chili (I use Serrano Pepper)
- 1 Tsp Salt
- Spices
- 1/4 Tsp Hing (Asafetida)
- 2 Tsp Coriander Powder
- 2 Tsp Kasoori Methi (Dried Fenugreek leaves)
- 1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Red Chili Powder (To taste)
- 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Tsp Garam Masala (Optional)
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (Optional)
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves
Servings
4
Ready In:
35 mins
Good For:
Lunch/Dinner
Diet:
Gluten-Free/Vegan
How to make Chana Dal Tadka?
– Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Soak Chana Dal in Water for 20 minutes. (Preferred but completely Optional).
Step 2
Put the Instant Pot in Saute Mode. When Hot, add 2 Tbsp of Ghee/Oil. Add Asafetida, Whole Red chili, Cumin Seeds or its powder version.
Step 3
Add chopped Onions, chopped Green Chili, minced Ginger and Garlic. Stir. Add water to deglaze. Add Tomatoes and stir for a few more minutes.
Step 4
Add water to Deglaze, if needed. Add Turmeric, Kasoori Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves), Red Chili Powder and Salt. Stir for a minute.
Step 5
Add Water. Put the lid on, seal the Instant Pot and put in high pressure for 20 minutes. If soaked overnight, high pressure for 12 minutes works.
Step 6
Let the pressure release naturally after 5 minutes. Add Coriander Powder, Garam Masala and Lemon Juice.
Step 7
Let it simmer for ~5 minutes, until a thick, texture obtained. You may mash the dal a little so that the gravy becomes thicker.
Garnish with chopped coriander and serve.
Chana Dal Tadka: Watch the Recipe Video
★ Tried this recipe? Please give a rating by clicking the stars below, under the picture. ★
Chana Dal Tadka (Bengal Gram Curry)
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Chana Dal or Bengal Gram
- 1 Cup Water for Soaking
- 3 Cup Water for Cooking
- 1/2 Cup Onion Chopped
- 1/2 Cup Tomato Chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic Minced or Finely Chopped
- 1 inch Ginger
- 1-2 Green Chili Per Taste
- 1 tsp Salt Per Taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice Optional
- 2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
Spices
- 1/4 tsp Hing or Asafetida
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 2 tsp Kasoori Methi or Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- 1 tsp Haldi or Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Optional
I tried this recipe on a weekday evening after coming from work. This is so quick and it tasted very good. Everyone in the family loved it. Looking forward to many such healthy and delicious recipes.
Thanks for the feedback, Sudeepti!
Nicely put! The king of all dals 😊
Very easy recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the feedback, Swati!
Can you make this without an instant pot?
Hi Caroline, yes, of course. If you have a stovetop pressure cooker, 2 whistles should work. For a pan on stovetop, I would soak it overnight, double up the water, put the lid on, and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes until soft. Thanks, Sakshi