Chana Dal

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the chana dal in several changes of cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Set it aside. Finely chop the onion and tomato, grate the ginger, mince the garlic, and chop the green chili if using so everything is ready before cooking.

2. 2

   Heat 10 ml neutral oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chili; cook for 30-60 seconds just until fragrant so the garlic does not brown.

3. 3

   Add the tomato, ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, red chili powder, and salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring and pressing the tomato with the spoon, until it breaks down into a thick masala and the oil begins to lightly separate at the edges.

4. 4

   Add the rinsed chana dal and 700 ml water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam if needed, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the dal is tender but still holds some shape. If it looks too thick before the dal is cooked, add a splash of hot water.

5. 5

   Once the dal is tender, uncover and simmer for 2-3 minutes more if needed to reach a thick, spoonable consistency. Lightly mash a few spoonfuls against the side of the pan to make the texture creamier without adding fat.

6. 6

   For the tempering, heat 5 ml neutral oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 15-20 seconds until aromatic. Remove from the heat, stir in the garam masala, and immediately pour this over the dal.

7. 7

   Stir in the lemon juice and most of the fresh coriander. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Let the dal rest for 2 minutes before serving so the flavors settle, then garnish with the remaining coriander and serve hot.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For a beginner-friendly shortcut that fits the time limit, do not soak the chana dal; a gentle simmer with enough water will cook it through in about 30 minutes for this quantity.
• •If your chana dal is older and cooks more slowly, soak it for 30 minutes in advance, but note that this increases total time unless you treat soaking as optional prep done earlier.
• •Serve with steamed basmati rice, chapati, or a simple cucumber salad.
• •To keep the dish low-fat, rely on properly cooking down the onion-tomato masala and lightly mashing the dal for body rather than adding extra oil or cream.

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