Chana Dal
Split chickpea lentils with a cumin-garlic tempering.
Ingredients
- 250 g Chana dal (split chickpea)
- 1 Tomato
- ½ tsp Ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 Dried chilies
- 3 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 240 g Basmati rice
- 3 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
Method
- Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear, then cook it in twice its volume of water, covered, until tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Rinse the chana dal and chop the tomato and garlic.
- Simmer the dal with turmeric and tomato until tender, about 28 minutes.
- Heat the oil over medium heat and add the cumin seeds, garlic, and dried chilies, frying until the garlic is golden and the spices smell fragrant.
- Pour the tempering over the dal and stir through.
- Scatter cilantro over and serve with the rice.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Chana Dal
Chana dal is a comforting North Indian lentil dish made from split, skinned Bengal gram — the same legume as the chickpea, halved and polished so it cooks down into a hearty, nutty pulse. Unlike softer red lentils, chana dal holds a bit of bite even when tender, giving the finished dal a satisfying body. It belongs to the everyday repertoire of Indian home cooking, the kind of humble, protein-rich main that anchors a plate of rice or roti.
What lifts this version is the tadka, the tempering of whole cumin seeds, garlic, and dried chilies fried in hot oil until fragrant and poured sizzling over the simmered dal. That final flourish is the defining move of the dish: it blooms the spices in fat and infuses the whole pot with toasty, garlicky aroma in seconds. The dal itself simmers gently with turmeric and tomato until creamy but not collapsed, and a scatter of cilantro at the end keeps it fresh. Warming, high in fiber and plant protein, and naturally vegan, it is best served hot with steamed rice or flatbread to soak up every spoonful.
Chana Dal: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Chana Dal?
A serving has about 573 calories — 18.6g protein, 89.8g carbs, 15.2g fat, 2g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Chana Dal gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Chana Dal has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Chana Dal take to make?
About 40 minutes start to finish, but only around 10 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Chana Dal?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out cilantro — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Chana Dal make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.