How long does Chicken Dalcha take?

50 minutes from start to finish. That is 15 minutes of preparation and 35 minutes of cooking.

How many people does Chicken Dalcha serve?

4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.

Is Chicken Dalcha 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 Chicken Dalcha?

500 grams Chicken Curry Cut, 1 cup Chana Dal, 2 Cinnamon, 3 Green Cardamom, 3 Cloves, 1 Mace, and a few more listed on this page.

Do I need a pressure cooker for Chicken Dalcha?

No, it is cooked in an open pot.

How many calories are in Chicken Dalcha?

About 574 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Chicken DalchaCook

Chicken Dalcha

Name: Chicken Dalcha
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
Ingredients: 1 cup Chana Dal; ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder; 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder; ¼ tsp Asafoetida; 1 tbsp Ghee; ½ tsp Salt; 2 cup Water; 2 tbsp Oil; 2 Cinnamon; 3 Green Cardamom; 3 Cloves; 1 Mace; 1 Bay Leaves; 1 tsp Black Peppercorns; 2 Onion, Thinly Sliced; 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste; 2 Tomato, Slices; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder; ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder; 1 tsp Cumin Powder; 500 grams Chicken Curry Cut; ½ cup Water; ¼ cup Water; ½ tsp Salt; 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, Finely Chopped; 2 tbsp Oil; 1 tbsp Ginger, Julienne; 1 Green Chilli, Slices

50 min
mild
Serves 4

Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min

Start cooking

6 steps, each one filmed. A short video for every step, so your hands never have to leave the pan.

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Also known as dalcha chicken · Non-veg · Curries & Gravies, Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam

Curries & Gravies Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam Dal High protein

Chicken dalcha: chicken in an onion tomato masala simmered with pressure-cooked chana dal. A mild Tamil Nadu curry for 4, 50 minutes, step-by-step video.

High protein

You’ll need: Pressure Cooker

Good for: Party

Ingredients

22 items

4 people

Chana Dal1 cup
Turmeric Powder½ tsp
Red Chilli Powder1½ tsp
Asafoetida¼ tsp
Ghee1 tbsp
Salt1 tsp
Water2¾ cup
Oil4 tbsp
Cinnamon2
Green Cardamom3
Cloves3
Mace1
Bay Leaves1
Black Peppercorns1 tsp
Onion, Thinly Sliced2
Ginger Garlic Paste1 tbsp
Tomato, Slices2
Cumin Powder1 tsp
Chicken Curry Cut500 grams
Coriander Leaves, Finely Chopped2 tbsp
Ginger, Julienne1 tbsp
Green Chilli, Slices1

Contains: milk, wheat.

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	574kcal	2296kcal
Protein	38g	150g
Carbohydrate	42g	168g
Fat	30g	120g
Fibre	10g	40g
Sugar	3.7g	15g

Cookd masalas for chana dal

Method

1
Wash and soak the dal for 20 minutes. To a pressure cooker, add the dal, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, asafoetida, ghee, salt and water. Pressure cook the dal for 7 whistles and take it off the flame. Keep it aside and let the steam reduce gradually.
Chana DalTurmeric PowderRed Chilli PowderAsafoetidaGheeSaltWater
2
Heat a kadai, add oil. Add the whole spices and let it crackle.
OilCinnamonGreen CardamomClovesMaceBay LeavesBlack Peppercorns
3
Add the chopped onions and saute till it turns golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and cook it for a minute. Add the tomatoes and masala powders and cook till the tomatoes become soft and oil oozes out from the sides.
OnionGinger Garlic PasteTomatoRed Chilli PowderTurmeric PowderCumin Powder
4
Add chicken and mix it for 10 minutes on a medium flame. Add a little water.
Chicken Curry CutWater
5
Add the boiled dal and mix well and partially mash it too. Bring the gravy to a boil. Cover and cook it for 10 minutes on a low flame. Open the pot, give it a stir and take it off the flame.
WaterSaltCoriander Leaves
6
Prepare a tempering with hot oil, ginger juliennes and sliced green chillies and add it to the chicken mixture. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves. Serve it hot with rice/biryani.
OilGingerGreen Chilli

Before you start

How long does Chicken Dalcha take?: 50 minutes from start to finish. That is 15 minutes of preparation and 35 minutes of cooking.
How many people does Chicken Dalcha serve?: 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
Is Chicken Dalcha vegetarian?: No, it contains meat or fish.
Is Chicken Dalcha 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 Chicken Dalcha?: 500 grams Chicken Curry Cut, 1 cup Chana Dal, 2 Cinnamon, 3 Green Cardamom, 3 Cloves, 1 Mace, and a few more listed on this page.
Do I need a pressure cooker for Chicken Dalcha?: No, it is cooked in an open pot.
How many calories are in Chicken Dalcha?: About 574 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.