Masala Chana Dal: Bengal Gram Lentil Curry
13 Sep
Chana dal (Bengal gram lentils) in a gloriously spiced curry, the kind one describes with epithets like "meal fit for a king".
You Need:
- Chana dal ((Bengal gram lentils) – 1 cup
- Tomatoes – 2
- Ginger – 1/2 inch stick
- Garlic – 4 fat cloves
- Green chili – 1
- Coriander powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Cumin powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Amchoor (dried mango) powder – 1/3 teaspoon
- Fenugreek powder – a pinch
- Fennel powder – a pinch
- Black pepper powder – a pinch
- Turmeric powder – a pinch
- Salt – to taste
- Bay leaf – 1
- Cloves – 3
- Cardamom – 1
- Cinnamon stick – 1/2 inch
- Raisins – 1 tablespoon
- Ghee – 2 teaspoons
- Fresh coriander leaves – a few sprigs
- Fresh lemon juice – 1 teaspoon, adjust to taste
In the pic above (anti-clockwise from the top):
Bowl1: Bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamon, cloves
Bowl2: Crushed pepper, fennel seed, fenugreek seed
Bowl3: Spice powders – turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chili, dried mango
Mortar: Crushed ginger, garlic, green chili
Chana dal (Bengal gram); tomatoes; raisins
How To Make Masala Chana Dal:
Wash chana dal well in a few changes of water till the water runs clear. Soak in two cups of water for an hour. Drain.
Chop tomatoes. Crush garlic, ginger and green chili into paste.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. [Be careful – ghee burns easily, do not let it smoke.] Add cloves, cardamom and bay leaf to hot ghee.
Stir and add garlic, ginger and green chili paste. When the spice paste takes on a golden hue, add chopped tomatoes, salt, and all the dry masala powders: coriander, cumin, red chili, amchoor, fenugreek, fennel, black pepper, turmeric.
Cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes, or till the masala turns fragrant and the tomatoes mushy. Add washed and drained chana dal to the spiced tomato masala and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Stir regularly so that the dal does not stick to the bottom of the cooker.
Tip in the raisins. Pour two cups of water, and bring the dal to a boil. Put on the lid of the pressure cooker, let it whistle, then lower the heat and cook for another 3 whistles.
Let the pressure cooker stand and release pressure naturally. Open the lid and mash the dal lightly. Add more water if you want the consistency runnier, adjust salt, and bring to another boil. Stir in fresh lemon juice and chopped fresh coriander leaves.
Serve masala chana dal piping hot alongside a bowl of rice, plain yogurt and fresh salad.
Bigger meal suggestion: masala chana dal with cumin rice, raita and a vegetable dish like crispy green brinjal.
Notes:
Raisins add a subtle hint of sweetness to the dal – as they get pressure-cooked, they burst open and infuse the curry with their flavor. Even if you don’t like your dals sweet, do give raisins in this recipe a try.
- For a variation of a dry chana dal side dish, check out chana dal with raisins.
- Go for a vegetable-chana dal combo – cook nenua chana: sponge gourd with chana dal.
- Make chana dal work as flatbread filling – try chana dal paratha.
Feel free to adjust the spice mix proportions to your taste.
Easy and delicious recipe. Love your pics
Thank you Saudamini!
What a delicious dal! I can imagine the divine smell while preparing this with all the spices that you have added. This is a must try for me!
Do try it…I’m sure you’ll like the actual as much as the imagined :-)
Tried this a few weeks back and now this is a weekly fave. My husband who is white amrikan ( I am desi) consumes this as if it is water. As it gets colder in our part of the US, this is a heartening and warming smell to come home to. I put everything in a slow cooker and up the mirchi. Absolutely mouth watering delicio!
Thanks for your lovely feedback, Sevpuri Rocks!
This is my favorite dal recipe! I made a couple of changes to use in the instant pot in case you have one:
Heat the ghee in pressure cooker using the saute low setting. I used the low for all of the saute work. I used only 1-1/2 cups water for this one and high pressure setting for 4 minutes nad let the pressure release naturally.
Thanks so much for this delicious recipe!
Hi Suzi, Great to hear that this is your favorite dal recipe! I don’t have an instant pot but your tips will surely be helpful for other readers who do have one. Thank you!