Punjabi Chana Dal
- 57 min
- mild
- Serves 4
Chana dal cooked in a pressure cooker with onion, tomato, cumin and coriander, then simmered until smooth. Mild, serves 4, about an hour plus soaking.
You’ll need: Pressure Cooker
Good for: Rainy Day
Ingredients
Chana Dal, For Soaking200 grams
Water, For Soaking600 ml
Turmeric Powder1.5 grams
Oil2½ tbsp
Cumin2 grams
Garlic, Finely Chopped12 grams
Onion, Finely Chopped1
Ginger, Finely Chopped6 grams
Tomato, Finely Chopped2
Coriander Powder2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder¾ tsp
Salt1½ tsp
Coriander Leaves8 grams
Nutrition
Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.
| Nutrient | Per 1 person | All 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 304kcal | 1216kcal |
| Protein | 12g | 47g |
| Carbohydrate | 37g | 149g |
| Fat | 13g | 52g |
| Fibre | 8.4g | 34g |
| Sugar | 2.5g | 10g |
Cookd masalas for chana dal
Method
Get ready by rinsing the chana dal well. Soak it in 600 ml water for 45 minutes. Finely chop the onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and coriander leaves.
Drain the soaked dal and put it in a pressure cooker with 650 ml water and turmeric. Pressure cook on medium flame for 4 whistles, about 10 to 11 minutes, until the dal is soft but still holds its shape. Let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes before opening.
Heat oil in a kadai on medium flame. Add cumin and let it sizzle for 30 seconds. Add garlic and onion, and fry for 5 to 7 minutes until the onion is golden and the garlic is lightly browned.
Add ginger and tomato. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the tomatoes turn soft and oil starts showing at the sides. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt, then fry for 1 minute until the raw smell of the spices goes.
Add the cooked dal to the masala. Mash a few lentils with the back of the ladle, then simmer on low flame for 7 to 8 minutes until the gravy is medium and loose-pourable. Switch off the flame and mix in coriander leaves.
Before you start
- How long does Punjabi Chana Dal take?
- 57 minutes from start to finish. That is 15 minutes of preparation and 42 minutes of cooking.
- How many people does Punjabi Chana Dal serve?
- 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
- Is Punjabi Chana Dal vegetarian?
- Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
- Is Punjabi Chana Dal spicy?
- It is mild: 1 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
- What do I need to make Punjabi Chana Dal?
- 200 grams Chana Dal, 1.5 grams Turmeric Powder, 2 grams Cumin, 12 grams Garlic, 6 grams Ginger, 8 grams Coriander Leaves, and a few more listed on this page.
- Do I need a pressure cooker for Punjabi Chana Dal?
- Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.
- How many calories are in Punjabi Chana Dal?
- About 304 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.
Tips from other cooks
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