Punjabi Chana Dal

Gluten FreeVegetarian

This Punjabi-style chana dal recipe is a perfect side dish to go with naans or chapatis for a hearty weekday meal. It is absolutely easy to put together and the ingredients for this recipe are pretty much pantry staples. This channa dal is mildly spicy but comes with a garlicky tadka (tempering) of fried cashew and foxnuts which adds to the oomph of this dish.

Chana dal can be quickly cooked in a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot and is a gluten-free and soy-free recipe. You can easily adapt it into a vegan recipe by substituting ghee or clarified butter with any oil of your choice. In case of nut allergy, you can avoid adding nuts altogether or substitute them with seeds of your choice.

Chola Dal or Indian Chana Dal recipe

Chane ka dal is very popular in Indian cuisine. They are available at most grocery stores as split chickpea dal or chana dal. To begin with any Indian chana dal recipe, the lentils are soaked and pressure-cooked till al dente before cooking with the rest of the spices.

By soaking the dal for an hour beforehand you will reduce the chana dal cooking time in a big way. After that, you can simply give it a couple of quick whistles in a pressure cooker for a quick cooking.

Punjabi-style chana dal recipe ingredients

  • ¼ cup Chana Dal
  • Salt to Taste
  • 2 Tomatoes  – medium-sized
  • 1 inch piece of Ginger
  • 6 cloves of Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Mustard Oil – alternate would be any oil
  • 1 tsp Ghee or Clarified Butter – alternate would be any oil
  • ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • ½ tsp Cumin Powder
  • ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
  • ½ tsp Kasuri Methi or Dried Fenugreek Leaves
  • ½ tsp Sweet Paprika Powder or Kashmiri Laal Mirch Powder
  • ½ cup Foxnuts
  • ¼ cup Cashew Nuts

Recipe instructions for chana dal

  • Pressure cook the chana dal for 4-5 minutes on high or 4 whistles with some water and salt.
  • Grind the tomatoes, ginger, and garlic (keep 2 cloves aside for the final tadka) into a fine paste.
  • Heat the pan and dry roast the foxnuts till they turn golden. Keep them aside.
  • In the same pan, heat the oil and add the tomato-ginger-garlic paste. Fry till it reduces to half in quantity
  • Add the kasuri methi, salt, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala powder. Fry for a couple more minutes.
  • Add the cashew nuts, foxnuts, and cooked chana dal in it. Let it simmer. Adjust the consistency of the dal. Check for seasoning as well. Once done, remove from heat.
  • In another pan or a smaller tadka pan, heat the ghee. Turn off the flame and add cumin seeds, finely chopped garlic, paprika powder, and a couple of cashew nuts. The seeds will splutter, so stir it. Allow the garlic to steep for a couple of seconds.
  • Now pour this prepared topping on the dal. Serve hot.
Chola Dal or Indian Chana Dahl recipe

Usually, the Indian dal recipes that are served with Indian flatbreads do not have a runny consistency. Rather they are thick and mildly spicy. Unlike most of the soupy dal recipes, this chana dal recipe is a bit thicker and creamier consistency.

Another highlight of this easy chana dal recipe is that it has been tempered with spices in two stages. First, we cook the tomatoes, ginger, and garlic with the powdered spices before adding the dal. Before serving we prepare another tadka of fried fox nuts (makhana) and garlic that is added on top of the dal. This gives this chana dal a strong garlicky flavor with a beautiful reddish color.

Serving suggestions

  • Soft naans and flaky parathas are perfect for soaking up this delicious chane ki dal. 
  • Rice lovers would love this dal recipe with simple steamed rice or even jeera rice.
  • For some crunch, a simple kachumber salad can be made with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and a squeeze of lemon juice
  • A fresh mint chutney can provide a zesty, herby contrast to the garlicky chana dal

More dal recipes for dinner

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Punjabi Chana Dal Recipe
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

Punjabi style Chana Dal recipe is a perfect spicy side dish to go with Naans or Chapatis for a hearty weekday meal. It is absolutely easy to put together and the ingredients for this recipe is pretty much pantry staple. This Channa Dal is mildly spicy but comes with a garlicky tadka (tempering) of fried cashew and foxnuts which adds to the oomph of this dish.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Punjabi
Keyword: Bengali Dal Recipes, Chana Dal Recipe
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 154 kcal
Author: Priyanka
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup Chana Dal
  • Salt to Taste
  • 2 Tomatoes Medium
  • 1 inch Ginger
  • 6 Cloves of Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Mustard Oil alternate would be any oil
  • 1 tsp Ghee or Clarified Butter alternate would be any oil
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • ½ tsp Cumin Powder
  • ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
  • ½ tsp Kasuri Methi or Dried Fenugreek Leaves
  • Salt to Taste
  • ½ tsp Sweet Paprika Powder or Kashmiri Laal Mirch Powder
  • ½ cup Foxnuts
  • ¼ cup Cashew Nuts
  • ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
Instructions
  1. Pressure cook the Chana Dal for 4-5 minutes on high or 4 whistles with some water and salt.

  2. Grind the tomatoes, ginger and garlic (keep 2 cloves aside for final tadka) into a fine paste.

  3. Heat the pan and dry roast the foxnuts till they tun golden. Keep them aside.

  4. In the same pan, heat the oil and add the tomato-ginger-garlic paste. Fry till it reduces into half in quantity

  5. Add the kasuri methi, salt, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Fry for couple more minutes.

  6. Add the cashew nuts, foxnuts and cooked chana dal in it. Let it simmer. Adjust the consistency of the dal. Check for seasoning as well. Once done, remove from heat.

  7. In another pan or a smaller tadka pan, heat the ghee. Turn off the flame and then add cumin seeds, finely chopped garlic, paprika powder and a couple of cashew nuts. The seeds will splutter, so give it a stir. Allow the garlic to steep in it for a couple of seconds.

  8. Now pour this prepared topping on the dal. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

This post was first published on May 19, 2020, and later republished on September 27, 2024, with a more elaborate description of the recipe.

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Indian Food Blogger Priyanka Bhattacharya

Hi! I’m Priyanka!

A passionate home cook and food lover who loves nothing more than sharing my favourite recipes with the world.


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