3 Different Chana Dal Recipes - How to Make Chana Dal

Here we have discussed easy Chana Dal Recipe of 3 different varieties, namely – Chana Dal Recipe (North Indian Style), Recipe with Chana Dal and vegetables & finally, Recipe for Chana Dal prepared in Eastern India (especially in Temples).

1) Chana Dal Recipe (North Indian Style)

Ingredients used in Recipe of Chana Dal – North Indian Style

1) Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas) – ½ cup

2) Onion – 1 of medium size (finely chopped)

3) Ginger – 1 inch long (finely grated)

4) Garlic – 6 to 7 large cloves (finely grated)

5) Green Chilli – 1 in number (finely chopped)

6) Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon

7) Asafoetida – A large pinch

8) Tomato – 1 of medium size (finely chopped)

9) Ghee/Oil – 2 Tablespoons

10) Salt – ½ teaspoon

11) Water – 3 to 4 cups

12) Turmeric powder – A large pinch

13) Garam Masala powder – 1/4^th teaspoon

How to Make Chana Dal – North Indian Style

Boiling of Chana Dal

• Boiling of the Chana Dal is the first step in the Recipe for Chana Dal preparation. Chana Dal takes rather a relatively long time for boiling & getting softened.  The dal in its original condition is rather hard in texture. Therefore, in case if sufficient time is on hand for the Chana Dal recipe preparation, then soak the dal in plain water (approximately 3 to 4 cups) in a deep vessel bowl for 4 hours.
• Later transfer the dal to a pressure cooker and put 3 cups of water, along with salt & turmeric powder (in the amount as described in the ingredient chart) into the pressure cooker and cover the lid. Transfer the cooker to a medium flame burner and let the contents get cooked.
• Later wait for 5 to 6 whistles to be emitted from this pressure cooker.
• In case, if a person doesn’t have sufficient time in hand (for keeping the dal soaked in water for a longer interval) then put 4 cups of water, salt, and turmeric powder in a cooker (in amounts as described in the ingredient table) and wait for 15 to 16 whistles, for proper boiling of the dal.
• Next, the burner is switched off and allow the cooker to cool at room temperature. Once the pressure cooker becomes cold then open the lid of the cooker and take out the dal from the cooker and keep it in a bowl. This brings us to the end of the boiling and initial preparation of Chana Dal in the Recipe of Chana Dal preparation.

Remaining part of Chana Dal Recipe (North Indian Style) Preparation

• Now put a non – stick pan/Karahi on a medium flame burner. Add 2 tablespoons of Ghee/Oil to it and allow the contents to warm. Add ½ teaspoon of Cumin seeds to the Karahi. Once the Cumin seeds begin to change the color then add Asafoetida & grated Garlic to the contents.
• Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, then add Onion pieces and stir till the added Onion pieces become translucent. Next, add grated ginger to the mixture and stir again for 2 minutes. Then add Tomato pieces and chopped Green Chilli and stir again till tomato becomes soft.

• Next transfer the contents of the Karahi/pan containing the mixture into an empty cooker and add the previously boiled dal to the contents of the cooker. Add 1/4^th teaspoon Garam Masala powder into it and close the lid of the cooker and transfer it to a medium flame burner.
   

• Allow the contents to cook and wait for 2 whistles.
• Switch off the burner and allow the contents to cool at room temperature. Once the contents get cooled then open the lid of the cooker and take out the dal preparation from it and then transfer it to a serving bowl.
• This brings us to the end of the Chana Dal Recipe (North Indian style). However, for extra taste, 1 teaspoon of good quality ghee or clarified butter can be added to the hot dal. There is no need to heat the preparation once again. This step depends on personal preference and can be skipped by those who do not want to add extra ghee to their diet.

2) Recipe for Chana Dal (Eastern Indian Style – Specially Made in Temples)

There are many people in India, who do not take Onions or Garlic in their diet for religious/cultural reasons. So, Recipe for Chana Dal (Eastern Indian style) is particularly popular among these people, besides the ones living in the eastern parts of the country in general. This Chana Dal is hence more commonly prepared during the festive seasons and especially in temples.

Ingredients used in Recipe of Chana Dal – Eastern Indian Style

1) Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas) – ½ cup

2) Salt – ½ teaspoon

3) Turmeric powder – A large pinch

4) Bay leaves – 2 in number

5) Sugar – 2 teaspoons

6) Cumin powder – 1/4^th teaspoon

7) Coriander powder – ½ teaspoon

8) Ginger – 1 inch long (finely grated)

9) Garam Masala powder – ½ teaspoon

10) Ghee/Clarified Butter – 1 tablespoon for Tadka & another 1 teaspoon for spreading on top of final Dal preparation    

11) Cumin Seeds – ½ teaspoon

12) Desiccated Coconut/Coconut powder – 1/4^th cup

13) Water – 3 to 4 cups

14) Dry Whole Red Chilli – 1 in number

How to Make Chana Dal – Eastern Indian Style

• Dal is boiled in the same manner, as described previously in Chana Dal Recipe (North Indian Style). However, the only difference here is that – in addition to previously described ingredients, Cumin powder & Coriander powder (as mentioned in ingredients) are added extra in this step in this recipe (which was absent in the previously described Chana Dal Recipe – North Indian Style).
• Now take 1 tablespoon of Ghee/Clarified Butter in a Karahi and put it on a medium flame burner. Allow it to warm & later add cumin seeds in it. When Cumin seeds start spluttering and changing their color then add dry Red Chilli and Bay leaves together to the contents in the Karahi.
• Stir for just 1 or 2 times. Then add grated ginger in it and fry it a little, till a nice aroma starts to come out. Then at once put desiccated Coconut/Coconut powder into the Karahi mixture and stir for another 1 to 2 minutes only.
• Next, add boiled dal to the previous contents. Add Sugar & Garam Masala powder in it and mix everything nicely. Allow the contents to boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

• Meanwhile, just taste the preparation for Salt content. If Salt is less, then it can be added in the desired amount according to personal preference.
• Later switch off the burner and spread 1 teaspoon Ghee on the top of the Dal. Mix everything nicely. The consistency of the preparation would be slightly thick. 
• Transfer the now ready Chana Dal preparation to a serving bowl for your friends or guests.

3) Recipe with Chana Dal and Vegetables

Chana Dal Recipe can also be prepared with Gourd, Leaf vegetables, Tomatoes, Drumsticks, etc. It depends on personal choice, but the preparatory procedure is the same. Here in our Recipe with Chana Dal and Vegetables, we have used Gourd for the preparation of this dish.

Ingredients used in Recipe of Chana Dal – with Vegetables

1) Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas) - ½ cup

2) Water – 3 cups for boiling Dal and ½ cup for boiling vegetables

3) Salt – 1/4^th teaspoon

4) Turmeric powder – A large pinch

5) Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon

6) Whole Dry Red Chilli – 1 in number

7) Tomato – 1 of medium size (cut in medium-sized pieces)

8) Gourd – 250 to 300 grams (cut into 1-inch cubical form & with seeds removed)

9) Ginger – 1 inch long (finely grated)

10) Cumin Seeds – ½ teaspoon

11) Asafoetida – A large pinch

12) Ghee/Clarified Butter – 1 ½ tablespoon   

13) Coriander Leaves – Approximately 2 tablespoons (finely chopped)

14) Sugar – ½ teaspoon

How to Make Chana Dal – with Vegetables

• Boil Dal using the same procedure, as has been done earlier in Chana Dal Recipe (North Indian Style) along with 1 teaspoon Coriander powder. Then take out the dal from the cooker and keep it in a bowl.
• Wash the Vegetables ( Gourd & Tomato) described in ingredients, under running water, and later cut them into pieces (as described in the ingredients table) and then put them into a cooker on a medium flame burner. Add ½ cup water into the pressure cooker and close the lid. Wait for only 2 whistles and then switch off the burner and remove the cooker from the oven and allow the contents to cool at room temperature.
• Later open the lid of the cooker and take out the vegetable pieces from the cooker and keep them aside.

• Next, put a Karahi on a medium flame burner and add 1 ½ tablespoon Ghee/Clarified butter to it. When it gets warm then add ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds to it. Once the Cumin seeds start changing color then add a large pinch of Asafoetida, dry whole red chili & grated Ginger in it, and stir once or twice.
• Next add boiled dal to the contents, followed by boiled vegetables into the previous mixture, and allow it to boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon sugar to it and mix it nicely.
   

• Later switch off the oven and check the salt content of the preparation. If required, salt can be added according to personal choice. If the consistency of the Dal is normal, then there is no problem. However, if it is thicker than desired, then mix a little water according to choice. If it is very thin then concentrate it, by boiling the preparation for some more time.
• This brings us to the end of the Recipe of Chana Dal with vegetable preparation. The contents are now transferred to a serving bowl.  After keeping it on a serving bowl, spread chopped Coriander leaves on the top of Dal. The dish is ready now for serving to guests.