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Discover everything you need to know to master Chana Dal, a classic Indian recipe made from split chickpeas, vegetables, and warm spices, all drizzled with a flavor-packed tadka, or infused oil.
You will love this Chana Dal recipe
I didn’t grow up cooking or eating Indian food, so I started learning the fundamentals from zero. As a classically-trained chef, I enjoy a deep-dive into new ingredients and techniques, and there was a lot to learn about Chana Dal and tadka.
After reading countless cookbooks and online recipes, I realized that many Indian cooks have innate knowledge they take for granted. They instinctively know what a tadka is and how to make (it’s an infused oil to drizzle over finished dishes). They’re familiar with all the ingredients, such as several varieties of lentils, whole spices, and chilies, and they know where to find them.
Coming to the cuisine with fresh eyes, I was full of questions, some so basic they aren’t always explained. My goal is to walk you through everything you need to know so you can find success in your home kitchen without all the struggle, even if you are starting from zero.
You’ll also discover that many Indian recipes use similar ingredients and techniques, so once you master one recipe, the process starts to feel familiar. There’s also a lot of room for experimentation. I learned a basic tadka to start, then I added everything that sounded tasty for the final recipe. You can do the same in your own kitchen.
Indian recipes are full of flavor and deeply satisfying without feeling heavy. It’s a great way to eat more legumes and vegetables that isn’t boring. They are also great for the freezer, so if you make a large batch, you can save some for future hearty meals.
Table of Contents
What is Chana Dal?
This Indian dish is made from chickpea lentils of the same name. These skinned, split black lentils are the most popular variety in Indian. Chana Dal have a lot of liquid in the base to be a Chana Dal Soup, or it can be thick like a stew, served with rice (the way I do here).
Like many dal recipes, you cook the chana dal chickpeas separately, then stir into vegetables and spices. Finally, top off your finished dish with tadka, an infused oil flavored with seeds, chiles, garlic, and tomatoes.
Chana Dal ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Chana dal: These dried pulses are made from skinned and split black chickpeas, and they cook faster if your soak them in advance. Or substitute yellow split peas, which don’t need to be soaked, and cook in about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Baking soda: Adding baking soda to the bowl while soaking split and whole chickpeas helps soften their skins. They cook faster, have a softer texture, and are easier to digest.
- Oil: Or substitute ghee or clarified butter. Look for something with a high smoke point, and you need enough that the cumin seeds don’t scorch.
- Garam masala: Find this Indian spice blend at the store, or make your own garam masala with 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper, 2 tsp. ground cloves, 1 tsp. ground cardamom, and 1 tsp. ground ginger.
- Red chili powder: Look for a single ground chili or blend of different kinds but not the Americanized “chili powder” used in chili recipes. Guntur and Kashmiri chili powder are popular varieties, or substitute cayenne pepper.
- Black mustard seeds: Or substitute brown mustard seeds. They have a similar appearance, are easier to find, and have a milder flavor.
- Red chilies: Look for long, slim “Indian” or “finger” chilis. Or, substitute Thai bird chiles or any other fresh red chili.
- Tadka: Also known as tarka, this is a technique for infusing oil with flavors such as herbs, spices, chilies, vegetables, garlic, and ginger. Drizzle the tadka over finished dishes like dal as a garnish and for extra flavor.
How to cook Chana Dal
To make the dal:
- In a large pot, add chickpeas and enough water to cover. Stir in baking soda and soak at least 6 hours or overnight. Drain well and rinse until the water runs clear. Return the chickpeas to the pot. Add 6 cups cold water, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the dal is cooked and softened, about 30 minutes to 40 minutes. Skim any foam off the top of the water with a spoon.
- Add more water to cover as needed. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add cumin seeds and onion, and stir until the seeds crack and pop and onion is softened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, garam masala, chili powder, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon) until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in cooked dal, then add water to thin if desired (I added 1 cup water).
To make the tadka:
- In a small frying pan over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and stir until they crack and pop. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, and chilies until fragrant, about 1 minute. (WARNING: If your skillet is too hot, the pan may flame when you add the tomatoes, so keep a lid nearby.)
- When the garlic starts to turn golden, remove the pan from heat and drizzle over the dal.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with cooked rice and pickled vegetables, if desired.
Recipe yield
This recipe makes about 6 cups of dal, enough for 4 servings, 1 ½ cups each.
How to serve this Chana Dal
Here are some of my favorite ways to sides and toppings for Chana Dal:
- Basmati rice
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Plain yogurt
- Naan bread
- Pickled vegetables
- Spicy fresh chiles
Storing Chana Dal
Store leftover Chana Dal covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze it for future meals, cool the dal completely, then pack into freezer-safe containers. Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat to 165 degrees on the stove or in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make homemade garam masala with whole spices instead of ground:
1. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, add 10 cinnamon sticks, 1 tbsp. whole black peppercorns, and 1 tbsp. whole cloves, and toast until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Transfer to a spice grinder and add the seeds of 12 green cardamom pods (cracked open, seeds removed, pods discarded), and 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Pulse until finely ground. Store covered in the pantry for up to 3 months.
You can also grind the spices by hand in a mortar and pestle.
More tasty recipes to try
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Chickpea Salad
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Ham and Lentil Soup
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White Bean and Kale Soup
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Sweet Potato Chili
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Chana Dal
Ingredients
For the dal:
- 14 ounces chana dal (about 2 cups of dried split chickpeas, see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (see note 2)
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil (see note 3)
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 large onion peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (see note 4)
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (see note 5)
- salt
For the tadka:
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds (see note 6)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 Roma tomato stem removed and chopped
- 2 red chiles (see note 7)
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- fresh cilantro leaves
For serving:
- cooked rice
- pickled vegetables
Instructions
To make the dal:
- In a large pot, add chickpeas and enough water to cover. Stir in baking soda and soak at least 6 hours or overnight. Drain well and rinse until the water runs clear.
- Return the chickpeas to the pot. Add 6 cups cold water, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the dal is cooked and softened, about 30 minutes to 40 minutes. Skim any foam off the top of the water with a spoon. Add more water to cover as needed. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add cumin seeds and onion and stir until the seeds crack and pop and onion is softened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, garam masala, chili powder, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon) until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in cooked dal, then add water to thin if desired (I added 1 cup water).
To make the tadka (see note 4):
- In a small frying pan over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and stir until they crack and pop. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, and chilies until fragrant, about 1 minute (WARNING: If your skillet is too hot, the pan may flame when you add the tomatoes, so keep a lid nearby).
- When the garlic starts to turn golden, remove the pan from heat and drizzle over the dal. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with cooked rice and pickled vegetables, if desired.
Notes
- Chana dal: These dried pulses are made from skinned and split black chickpeas, and they cook faster if your soak them in advance. Or substitute yellow split peas, which don’t need to be soaked, and cook in about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Baking soda: Adding baking soda to the bowl while soaking split and whole chickpeas helps soften their skins. They cook faster, have a softer texture, and are easier to digest.
- Oil: Or substitute ghee or clarified butter. Look for something with a high smoke point, and you need enough that the cumin seeds don’t scorch.
- Garam masala: Find this Indian spice blend at the store, or make your own garam masala with 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper, 2 tsp. ground cloves, 1 tsp. ground cardamom, and 1 tsp. ground ginger.
- Red chili powder: Look for a single ground chili or blend of different kinds but not the Americanized “chili powder” used in chili recipes. Guntur and Kashmiri chili powder are popular varieties, or substitute cayenne pepper.
- Black mustard seeds: Or substitute brown mustard seeds. They have a similar appearance, are easier to find, and have a milder flavor.
- Red chilies: Look for long, slim “Indian” or “finger” chilis. Or, substitute Thai bird chiles or any other fresh red chili.
- Tadka: Also known as tarka, this is a technique for infusing oil with flavors such as herbs, spices, chilies, vegetables, garlic, and ginger. Drizzle the tadka over finished dishes like dal as a garnish and for extra flavor.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 cups of dal, enough for 4 servings, 1 ½ cups each.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.