Chana Dal – Split Yellow Gram

There are few meatless dishes, which I like, and I try to make those dishes tastes good, so when I feel like eating right or when the craze of working out hits me, I can still have delicious food, and enjoy every bite of it, like Chana Dal!

Indian cuisine has a great variety of vegetarian, healthy, tasty, and low calorie dishes, and I turn to this cuisine when I think it’s time to eat right, and had enough feasting on desserts.

Chana Dal keeps me full for long time and is a great source of protein too.

The different types of dal I cooked in my life, always tastes even better the next day.
It is a time saver specially if you work long hours, or you don’t like to spend much time in the kitchen.

How do you like to have your dal, with bread, rice, or have it like a soup?

Chana Dal
Serving 3. 391 calories per serving.
1 cup uncooked chana dal
6 cups water
5 whole cloves garlic
2-inch ginger root, cut into quarters
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoon oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tomato, finely chopped
Salt
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 green chili, cut in half
1 cup hot water

– Wash lentils and soak in hot water for 45 minutes.
– To a pan, add water, lentils, garlic, and ginger. Let it boil until lentils are tender, may take 30 to 40 minutes.
– When the lentils are cooked, discard the ginger.
– In another pan, fry onion in oil and 1 Tablespoon butter until translucent.
– Add tomatoes to onion. Stir 3 minutes on medium high heat.
– Add garam masala, coriander, curry powder, cumin, and turmeric. Continue stirring.
– Add green chili. Stir for another 2 minutes.
– Pour lentils on top of onion and tomato mixture. Stir and mash the lentils with the back of the spoon. Add one cup of hot water.
– Let simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The longer it simmers, the more flavor it develops, will take 3 minutes.
– Add 1 tablespoon butter just before serving. Serve hot with plain rice or bread.