What is Chana Dal, split Bengal gram?

Chana dal is a type of dal that's a staple in Indian cuisine. Chana Dal, Split Bengal gram is baby chickpeas that has been split and polished. It looks and tastes like small kernels of sweet corn, and is one of the most popular ingredients in Indian cuisine. In Indian cooking, chana dal is used to make tikkis, pancakes, bhajiya, vada, stuffed paratha, sabzi and dal.

Also Known as

Split Bengal gram

How to Select Chana dal, split Bengal gram

• Dried chana dal is available all year round, and is easy to store.

• If buying in a pack, check the seal and date of packing. Buy from a trusted store because you cannot check inside the pack.

• If buying from bins, make sure the bins are not left in the open exposed to dust and grime.

• Check the dal to see if it is unblemished, free from moisture damage, insects and stones.

Uses of Chana Dal, split Bengal gram

Chana dal is a split lentil, also known as baby chickpeas, which is very popular in Indian Cuisine. It is highly nutritious, delicious and is used in both sweet and savory recipes due to its rich taste and aroma. Moreover it can be used to make chutneys as well as be used as thickener in many recipes, showing how versatile it is.

Snacks using chana dal

gluten free chana dal pancakes recipe | gluten free Indian breakfast | gluten free cheela | gluten free chilla

fried chana dal recipe | chana dal namkeen | savoury jar snack | market style fried chana dal

Chana dal is also an essential ingredient of all the chutneys we eat along with our South Indian Delicacies. Mysore chutney, a spicy, garlicky, chana dal accompaniment, is the ideal thing to have with idli and dosas!

Mysore chutney recipe | South Indian Mysore chutney

Sweet dishes using chana dal

This popular Maharashtrian delicacy, Puran poli is a sweet made by stuffing Chana dal mixture to wheat flour and is widely made during Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali.

Maharashtrian puran poli recipe | puran poli | sweet puran poli

For complete uses of Chana dal read this article.

How to Store Chana dal, split Bengal gram

• Dried dal can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place of your kitchen for up to 12 months.

• Once cooked, they can be stored in the refrigerator for a day. It is better to use it up soon.

Nutritional Information of Cooked Chana Dal

One cup of cooked Chana Dal is 170 grams and comes from 89 grams raw Chana Dal.This Serves 3.

RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Nutritional Information for 1 cup cooked Chana Dal.

331 Calories

18.5 grams of Protein

53.4 grams of Carbs

4.98 grams of Fat

131 mcg Folate, Vitamin B9 (FA) = 65.63% of RDA (about 200 mcg)

See here for full Nutritional information of Chana Dal. Health Benefits of Cooked 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.

soaked chana dal

Clean the chana dal and remove any kind of stones or dirt. To soak chana dal, first wash it twice with water and then soak it in warm water. Soaking in water enables the dal to cook faster - thereby saving on time as well as energy. You can simply use the soaked dal in salads, curries and other dishes.

soaked and cooked chana dal

Clean the chana dal and remove any kind of stones or dirt. To soak chana dal, first wash it twice with water and then soak it in warm water. Drain it and boil it in a vessel full of water or pressure cook till done.

soaked and parboiled chana dal

To soak chana dal, clean and wash the chana dal and soak in enough water for 4 to 5 hours. For parboiling, drain the soaked chana dal, again add clean water and boil till the dal is almost cooked, but not completely cooked. Many recipes call for parboiled chana dal as it gets cooked completely along with the final dish.

roasted and powdered chana dal

Take ? cup of roasted chana dal and put in a mixer and blend to a fine powder. Use as required. For coarsely powdered chana dal put the roasted chana dal in a mixer and pulse it one or two times to get a rough texture which is not too fine or smooth. Use as required.