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chana dal fry recipe | North Indian chana dal tadka | easy chana dal masala | how to make Punjabi masala chana dal |


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Chana Dal Fry, Punjabi Masala Chana Dal

chana dal fry recipe | North Indian chana dal tadka | easy chana dal masala | how to make Punjabi masala chana dal | with 32 amazing images.

chana dal fry recipe | North Indian chana dal tadka | easy chana dal masala | how to make Punjabi masala chana dal | is a simple dal full of flavours and aroma of Indian masalas. Learn how to make Punjabi masala chana dal.

To make chana dal fry, soak the chana dal in enough hot water for 1 hour. Drain well. Combine the soaked chana dal, turmeric powder and 2½ cups of water in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 5 whistles. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Whisk the dal using a whisk. Keep aside. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, garlic, ginger and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, dried mango powder and 2 tbsp of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Add the dried fenugreek leaves, salt, whisked dal, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Add the coriander and mix well. Serve hot.

Nourishing and tasty, the easy chana dal masala is one of the basic recipes made in the northern states of India. Like most Punjabi recipes, this dal also makes use of loads of finely chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies, onions and tomatoes.

However, Punjabi masala chana dal tastes really awesome and unique, thanks to the apt combination of spices and dried fenugreek leaves. Amchur powder, though used in a small quantity, gives a pleasant tang to the dal.

This North Indian chana dal tadka is a wonderful accompaniment to rice and Indian breads like rotis or parathas and rice. A bowl of kachumber, masala papad and a tall glass of chaas would complete a North Indian thali. Enjoy it hot and fresh!

Tips for chana dal fry. 1. It is important to soak this dal in hot water as mentioned in the recipe, to ensure easy and complete cooking. 2. Try not to whisk it very smooth. You will enjoy the mouthfeel of cooked chana dal.

You can also try other bacic dal recipes like Basic Toovar Dal or Basic Urad Dal.

Enjoy chana dal fry recipe | North Indian chana dal tadka | easy chana dal masala | how to make Punjabi masala chana dal | with step by step photos.

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Chana Dal Fry, Punjabi Masala Chana Dal recipe - How to make Chana Dal Fry, Punjabi Masala Chana Dal

Soaking time:  1 hour   Preparation Time:    Cooking Time:    Total Time:     4Makes 4 servings
Show me for servings

Method
    Method
  1. Soak the chana dal in enough hot water for 1 hour. Drain well.
  2. Combine the soaked chana dal, turmeric powder and 2½ cups of water in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 5 whistles.
  3. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
  4. Whisk the dal using a whisk. Keep aside.
  5. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the cumin seeds, asafeotida, garlic, ginger and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
  7. Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, dried mango powder and 2 tbsp of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
  8. Add the dried fenugreek leaves, salt, whisked dal, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
  9. Add the coriander and mix well.
  10. Serve hot.

Basic Chana Dal Recipe video by Tarla Dalal

Chana Dal Fry, Punjabi Masala Chana Dal recipe with step by step photos

If you like chana dal fry
  1. If you like chana dal fry, then also try other Punjabi dal recipes like
    • dal makhani | how to make dal makhani | dhaba-style dal makhani | punjabi dal makhani | with 30 amazing photos.
    • dal tadka recipe | Punjabi dal tadka | restaurant style dal tadka | with 30 amazing images.
    • Amritsari dal recipe | Punjabi Amritsari dal | langarwali dal | healthy Amritsari dal | with 24 amazing images.
       
     

For cooking chana dal
  1. To make chana dal fry recipe, we need chana dal. One cup of cooked Chana Dal provides 33% of your protein for the day. Chana dal is  heart and diabetic friendly, also rich in fiber. Chana dal has high amount of potassium and low amount of sodium which makes it very effective in regulating your blood pressure. Read this article on complete benefits of chana dal. 
  2. Clean and wash the chana dal. Then soak the chana dal in enough hot water for 1 hour. This is to speeden up the process of cooking. 
  3. Drain well using a strainer. Discard the water. 
  4. Next to make North Indian chana dal tadka, place the washed and drained chana dal in a pressure cooker. 
  5. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi).
  6. Add 2½ cups of water for cooking. 
  7. Mix well using a ladle. 
  8. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and pressure cook for 5 whistles. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
  9. Once the pressure cooker has cooled slightly, open the lid. This is how the dal looks after cooking.
  10. Whisk the dal using a whisk till coarse. We suggest you don’t make it completely smooth. Keep aside.
     

For the chana dal fry
  1. Next to make chana dal fry recipe | North Indian chana dal tadka | easy chana dal masala | how to make Punjabi masala chana dal, we need to temper the easy chana dal masala. For that heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep non-stick pan. 
  2. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera). Cumin seeds are apparently a very good source of iron. A tbsp. of cumin seeds can fulfil nearly 20% of days iron requirement. Even small quantity of cumin seeds has huge amounts of calcium ( see calcium rich Indian foods ) – a bone supporting mineral. They aid is digestion, weight loss and help reduce inflammation. See detailed benefits of cumin seeds, jeera. 
  3. Add a pinch of asafoetida (hing).  The active compound 'coumarin' helps in managing blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Asafoetida is known to have anti-bacterial properties, which helps to keep asthma at bay. Asafoetida is an age-old remedy for bloating and other stomach problems like flatulence.
  4. Add 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun). Garlic has been proven to lower cholesterol. The active ingredient allicin present in garlic aids in lowering blood pressure. Garlic is also alleged to help regulate blood glucose levels for diabetics. Garlic is great for the heart and circulatory system.
  5. Add 1 tsp finely chopped ginger (adrak).  Ginger is an effective cure for congestion, sore throat, cold and cough. It aids digestion and relieves constipation. Ginger was found as effective as drugs in relieving menstrual pain. Ginger is effective in decreasing the cholesterol levels in patients with high cholesterol. Ginger significantly reduces symptoms of nausea in pregnant ladies. See here for 16 Super Health Benefits of Adrak, Ginger.
  6. Add 1 tsp chopped green chillies. Antioxidant vitamin C in green chillies protects the body from effects of harmful free radicals and prevents stress. It is probably the high fiber which helps in controlling blood sugar levels. This it is a welcome addition to a diabetic diet. Suffering from anaemia? Add green chillies to your list of iron rich foods too. For complete details see benefits of green chilli. 
  7. Sauté these on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
  8. Then add 1/2 cup finely chopped onions. Raw onions are a very valuable source of vitamin C – the immune building vitamin. Along with other phytonutrients from onions, it helps to build WBC (white blood cells) which serves as a line of defence against illness. Yes, it’s a source of many antioxidants, the most important one amongst them being Quercetin. The quercetin in Onions promotes production of HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers total cholesterol in the body.
  9. Sauté the onions as well on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
  10. Add 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes for slight tang. Tomatoes are extremely rich source of Lycopene. Tomatoes are a powerful antioxidant, super rich in Vitamin C, good for heart. Tomatoes are a Pregnant women's friend and are rich in Folate or Folic Acid which helps your body to produce and maintain new cells, especially red blood cells. Read about 13 amazing benefits of tomatoes.  
  11. Add 1 tsp chilli powder.
  12. Add 1 tsp coriander (dhania) powder. It is an appetite stimulant and aids in the secretion of gastric juices. It has also been known to stimulate insulin production and help in manging blood sugar levels in diabetics. It also exhibits anti-microbial property. The presence of antioxidants in it promotes skin health and maintain hair health. Its anti-inflammatory properties promote heart health. 
  13. Add 1/2 tsp garam masala.
  14. Add 1/2 tsp dried mango powder (amchur).
  15. Add 2 tbsp of water.
  16. Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes. Ensure that you keep stirring occasionallyto avoid the masalas from burning. 
  17. Add 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi). Always crush the kasuri methi before adding to get its best flavour and aroma. 
  18. Add salt to taste.
  19. Finally add the whisked dal. 
  20. Mix Punjabi masala chana dal well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
  21. Add the coriander and mix well. The antioxidants vitamin A, vitamin C and the quercetin present in coriander works towards strengthening our immune system. Coriander is a fairly good source of iron and folate – the 2 nutrient which help in the production and maintenance of red blood cells in our blood. Good for reducing cholesterol and good for diabetics. Read 9 benefits of coriander to understand details. 
  22. Serve chana dal fry hot.

Health Benefits of Chana Dal Fry
  1. Chana Dal Fry – a protein rich fare. 
  2. Chana dal being a very good source of protein, helps to nourish or cells and tissues. 
  3. Protein also has a role to play in adding glow to skin, improving vision and building immune cells along with strengthening bones. 
  4. Protein is beneficial for weight watchers too. They can include this dal in their menu by reducing the amount of oil used for tempering to 1 to 2 tsp of oil / ghee. This dal can then be enjoyed by diabetics and heart patients too.
  5. Further this dal also has a lot of antioxidant rich ingredients like garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, onions, tomatoes etc, which will help in reducing inflammation in the body. 
  6. Try serving it to kids. They are also sure to enjoy it. This dal is thus a good way to add protein to growing kids diet too. 

Tips for chana dal fry
  1. It is important to soak this dal in hot water as mentioned in the recipe, to ensure easy and complete cooking.
  2. Try not to whisk it very smooth. You will enjoy the mouthfeel of cooked chana dal.

Nutrient values (Abbrv) per serving
Energy222 cal
Protein8.3 g
Carbohydrates25.4 g
Fiber6.4 g
Fat9.7 g
Cholesterol0 mg
Sodium32.8 mg

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Reviews

Chana Dal Fry, Punjabi Masala Chana Dal
5
 on 13 Sep 22 05:46 PM


i am from https://basicbrowns.com/.Recipe is very nice and taste is awesome
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Tarla Dalal    Thanks for the feedback !!! keep reviewing recipes and articles you loved.
Reply
15 Sep 22 03:09 PM
Chana Dal Fry, Punjabi Masala Chana Dal
5
 on 13 Sep 22 05:45 PM


Tried this recipe. Taste is awesome and bought organic chanadal from https://basicbrowns.com/ for natural & Better taste
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Tarla Dalal    Thanks for the feedback !!! keep reviewing recipes and articles you loved.
Reply
15 Sep 22 03:18 PM
Chana Dal Fry, Punjabi Masala Chana Dal
5
 on 10 Nov 21 08:30 PM


superb, yummy.
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Tarla Dalal    Thank you for the feedback. Please keep reviewing recipes and articles you love.
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11 Nov 21 09:37 AM
Chana Dal Fry, Punjabi Masala Chana Dal
5
 on 20 Apr 21 08:14 PM


The best dal I have tasted till date. So so yummy and healthy. Loved it a lot. Will make this often.
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Tarla Dalal    Thank you for your kind words. Please keep trying more recipes and sharing your comments with us.
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21 Apr 21 04:12 PM
Basic Chana Dal Recipe
5
 on 20 Feb 21 10:03 PM


So easy to make and so delicious! Freezes well if you omit cilantro when freezing and add it fresh when the chana dal is hot and ready!
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Tarla Dalal    Thank you for your feedback. Kindly review the recipes and articles you love.
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22 Feb 21 10:26 AM
Basic Chana Dal Recipe
5
Mirian
 on 01 Nov 20 02:56 AM


Very easy to prepare. Very tasty, I used lime instead mango dried powder, because ia not easy to find It in Brazil.
Reply
Basic Chana Dal Recipe
5
 on 02 Feb 18 03:09 PM


This simple chana dal recipe has a wonderful flavour of onions, tomatoes and garlic, I enjoyed it with a bowl of jeera rice....
Reply