Channa Daal
Channa Daal or Bengal Gram is a basic staple in desi cuisine, it’s served either with rice or chapati. Channa daal takes a long time to cook, to speed up the process it’s best to soak it in warm water for at least an hour and even use a pressure cooker if you like. Daal is usually boiled and then a tadka is added on top- tadka is known as tempering in English where whole spices are heated in oil to bring out their aroma and flavors
The tadka for this recipe includes ginger, garlic, onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and a combination of other spices.
Channa Daal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Channa Daal (Bengal Gram) washed and soaked for at least 1 hour
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 2 green chilies chopped
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp dry mango powder
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi dried fenugreek
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- a few coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Drain the soaked lentils and add them to a large pot with 4 cups of water and 1/4 tsp of turmeric.
- Pressure cook for about 20 minutes, or if you don't have a pressure cooker cover and cook until the lentils are tender (approx 1.5 hours).
- In a separate heavy bottomed pan heat the oil/ghee then add the cumin and fry for a few seconds before adding the ginger and garlic paste. Fry until the ginger garlic paste turns a light golden color.
- Add the onions and fry them, stirring occasionally, until they're golden brown.
- Add the tomatoes, ginger, and green chili, stir.
- Stir in all the remaining spices (salt, red chili powder, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, and dry mango powder).
- Cook until the tomatoes lose their color and the oil starts to separate. Stir in the kasoori methi.
- Pour the onion tomato tadka over the lentils and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
