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Chana Dal Fry (No Onion No Garlic)

By Jigna
Chana Dal Fry is a healthy, nutritious, and very comforting dish without onion and garlic. This Dal preparation is rich in protein and fiber and is good for the heart. Also, it is easy to make and tastes amazingly delicious!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Cuisine Indian
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Diet Healthy, Jain, No Onion No Garlic, Vegetarian
Servings 4

Video

Ingredients
  

For Cooking The Chana Dal

  • 1 cup (200g) chana dal (bengal gram)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon ghee or oil
  • 3 cups water

For The Chana Dal Fry

  • 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
  • 1 dry red chili
  • 1- inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (or you can add cumin seeds)
  • ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (Hing)
  • 1 teaspoon green chili paste (or to taste)
  • 1- inch ginger peeled and grated
  • 2 tomatoes finely chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1½ teaspoon chana masala or garam masala (or add to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon crushed Kasoori methi
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
  • Lemon juice to taste

Instructions
 

Preparations

  • Rinse the chana dal thoroughly until the water runs clear.
  • Then soak the chana dal with three cups of water for 1-2 hours.

Cooking The Chana Dal

  • Drain all the water from the chana dal and transfer it to the pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water, salt, turmeric powder, and ghee (optional) and stir.
  • Cook the chana dal in a pressure cooker on medium heat for 2-3 whistles or until they are thoroughly cooked. Do not overcook; the dal should be cooked but not mushy and stay almost intact.
  • Turn off the heat and set the cooker aside. Once the cooker depressurizes naturally, open the lid.

Making The Chana Dal

  • Heat ghee or oil in a pan and add dry red chili, cinnamon, and mustard seeds.
  • Once mustard seeds start crackling, add asafoetida, green chili, and ginger. Stir well and saute for a few seconds.
  • Add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes.
  • Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and chana masala or garam masala.
  • Mix well and continue cooking the tomato mixture for 8-10 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and ghee or oil separates from the sides.
  • Add cooked chana dal with its water and stir well. Cook the dal for 8-10 minutes, stirring often.
  • If the chana dal is too thick, add water as required to adjust the consistency. And if it is very thin, cook it a little more until you get the right consistency.
  • Finally, add chopped coriander leaves, Kasoori methi, sugar, and lemon juice. Mix well and cook for another minute.
  • Turn off the heat and transfer the dal to a serving bowl.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve Chana Dal Fry with your choice of Indian flatbread. We like to have this dal with Roti. It tastes fantastic with Naan too.
  • Serve the dal with plain or Jeera Rice for a comforting and light meal.
  • If you want to have this lentil preparation as a soup, add more water to thin out the consistency. And adjust the seasonings accordingly.
  • Also, you can have this Dal as a side dish with vegetable curry or Paneer Curry of your choice for a larger meal.

Notes

  1. Chana Dal: Soak the chana dal for at least an hour for the best results and quick cooking. However, if you do not have enough time, wash the dal thoroughly and soak it in hot water for 30 minutes.
  2. Cooking The Dal: I used a pressure cooker to boil the lentils. But instead of a pressure cooker, you can boil them in a large pot or pan with sufficient water.
  3. Spices: Adjust the spice level of dal by adding less or more green chili, chana masala, and red chili powder.
  4. Chana Masala: Instead of chana masala, you can use garam masala powder to make the dal.
  5. Consistency: Keep the Chana Dal Fry thick to serve it with flatbread. But if serving with rice, keep it on the thinner side by adding a little more water.

Nutrition (Approximate Values)

Calories : 239kcalCarbohydrates : 36gProtein : 9gFat : 7gSaturated Fat : 3gPolyunsaturated Fat : 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat : 2gCholesterol : 13mgSodium : 593mgPotassium : 103mgFiber : 14gSugar : 3gVitamin A : 276IUVitamin C : 5mgCalcium : 114mgIron : 3mg
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