By CHANA DAL FRY
This chana dal fry is Punjabi style recipe of bengal gramlentils tempered & flavored with spices.
Ingredients
For Pressure Cooking Chana Dal
- 1 cup chana dal (bengal gram or split chickpea)
- 3.33 to 4 cups water
- 0.33 teaspoon turmeric powder
For Tempering The Chana Dal
- 2.67 medium sized tomatoes - chopped
- 0.67 cup finely chopped onions
- 1.33 inch ginger - finely chopped
- 5.33 to 6.67 garlic - finely chopped
- 1.33 green chili - chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 0.67 teaspoon red chili powder
- 0.33 teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1.33 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- 0.67 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 0.67 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) or add as required
- 1.33 teaspoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 2.67 tablespoon oil or ghee (clarified butter)
- salt as required
- a few coriander leaves (cilantro) for mixing towards the end or garnishing
Instructions
Pressure Cooking Chana Dal
- Pick and rinse the chana dal well in running water.
- Soak the dal in enough water for an hour.
- Drain the lentils and add them to the pressure cooker along with turmeric powder. Add 2.5 to 3 cups water and stir well.
- On a high flame, pressure cook the lentils for 7 to 8 whistles or more, till the dal is softened and well cooked.
- Keep the cooked chana dal aside.
Making Chana Dal Fry
- In another pan, heat oil or ghee.
- Add the cumin first and fry for a few seconds till they splutter.
- Then add the garlic and fry till they become light brown.
- Now add the onions and fry till they get golden.
- Now add the tomatoes, ginger and green chili.
- Stir and add all the dry spice powders - turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, asafoetida, dry mango powder and coriander powder.
- Saute till the tomatoes get cooked and the oil starts to leave the side of the mixture.
- Add the kasoori methi and stir.
- Pour the cooked chana dal along with its stock to the sauteed masala mixture or vice versa. season with salt.
- Stir and simmer the dal for 6-8 minutes till you get medium consistency of the dal. The chana dal is neither thick nor thin.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves
- Serve the chana dal fry hot with some basmati rice or rotis or bread.
Notes
Consistency of chana dal can be easily adjusted:
- If the dal becomes thick, then after adding the sauteed masala tempering mixture, add some water and simmer for some minutes.
- If the dal become thin, simmer for a longer time so that you get the right consistency.
- First soak the lentils for an hour.
- Then take 4. Cups of water along with the drained lentils in a pot.
- Also add turmeric powder. Cover and cook the lentils for 45 minutes to 1 hour, till they are softened. Add more water if required.
- If the mixture froths, then cook uncovered initially and then later cover and cook. A few drops of oil can also be added to reduce the frothing.
