How many calories does one cup of Chana Dal Recipe have?

One cup of Chana Dal Recipe gives 222 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 102 calories, proteins account for 33 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 87 calories.  One cup of Chana Dal provides about 11 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.

Chana Dal nutrition : One cup of chana dal is 270 calories. The glycemic index of raw chana dal (Bengal gram dal ) is extremely low around 8 which makes it super food for diabetics.

222 calories for 1 serving of Chana Dal Recipe, Made up of chana dal, onions, tomatoes and cucumber. Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrates 25.4g, Protein 8.3g, Fat 9.7g.

See chana dal recipe | 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!

Is Chana Dal healthy?

Yes, chana dal  is healthy. Made up of chana dal, onions, tomatoes and cucumber with some Indian spices.

Let's understand the ingredients.

Chana Dal ( split bengal gram) : 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. 

Cucumber (Kakdi) : With that high water content, cucumber act as a broom for our system to sweep out harmful toxins from our body. The sterols from cucumber aid in managing blood cholesterol levels well and is diabetic friendly. Low sodium and fair amounts of potassium will help to control blood pressure.  Cucumber forms a healthy snack as it's alkaline and a great acidity snack reliever. So you can have it as a snack at work. Better to have it peeled to remove the effects of pesticides. See detailed benefits of cucumber. 

Tomatoes ( Cherry tomatoes, Yellow tomatoes ) : 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.  

Onions (pyaz, kanda) :  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. The sulphur in onions act as a blood thinner and prevents blood clotting too. This in turn would lower blood pressure and good for heart,  diabetics. Read the benefits of onions. 

Coconut Oil : Use cococnut oil instead of processed seed oil.  Coconut oil is a medium chain triglycerides (MCT’s).  Unlike other fats, they go directly from the gut to the liver. From here, they are then used as a source of energy. As the calories in MCT’s are used straight away, they are less likely to be stored as fats in the body. MCT's have shown to improve your brain and memory function, they also give a boost to your energy levels and improve your endurance.  The MCT in Coconut oil reduces the LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) while increasing the count of HDL cholesterol, maintaining normal blood pressure and good for diabetics. See detailed benefits of coconut oil. 

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Chana Dal   ?

Yes, this recipe is good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. 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.

Cut the oil amount and use coconut oil instead of processed seed oil.

Can healthy individuals have Chana Dal ?

Yes, this is healthy. 

DAL + ROTI (cereal) enhances protein value

Combine chana dal with  bajra roti, jowar roti, radish nachni roti recipe , basic ragi roti recipe or whole wheat roti, whole wheat bhakri recipe to make a healthy combination. Note that when you combine any dal with any cereal like bajra, jowar, ragi, buckwheat, barley or whole wheat to enhance the protein value.

Bajra Roti

Chana Dal  is good for

1. Weight Loss

2. Diabetics

3. Heart Patients

4. Healthy Lifestyle

5. Obesity

Chana dal is rich in below macronutrients, vitamins and minerals given in descending order (highest to lowest). 

1. Folic Acid (Vitamin B9): Folic acid is an essential vitamin required throughout pregnancy. Folic acid rich Indian foods (kabuli chana, chana dal, yellow moong dal, urad dal, tooval dal, til ). 33% of RDA.
2. Vitamin C :  Vitamin C is a great defence against coughs and colds. Have citrus fruits, lemons, vegetables ( capsicum, broccoli, cabbage). 30% of RDA.
3. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. 20% of RDA.
4. Protein : Protein is required for the managing the wear and tear of all cells of the body. Have protein rich Indian foods like paneer, curd, Greek yoghurt, tofu, almonds, sprouts, chana, rajma, chick peas, quinoa, buckwheat ). 15% of RDA.
5. Iron : Iron is essential in the chemical reactions that produce energy from foods. Eat more greens and garden cress seeds to prevent you from being anaemic. Here are the top 7 sources of iron rich foods. 11% of RDA.

How to burn 222 calories that come from Basic Chana Dal Recipe?

Walking (6 kmph) = 1hr 7 mins

Running (11 kmph) = 22 mins

Cycling (30 kmph) = 30 mins       

Swimming (2 kmph) = 38 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.