Split Chana Dal Fry
Split chana dal fry cooked with basic spices in an Instant Pot to make a super comforting and satisfying pantry meal with least amount of efforts!
Its is so easy to find split chickpea/gram lentils at any grocery stores. Indian pantry always has this basic ingredient handy. With just some basic spices you can give this simple lentil a whole new life! There are so many ways to make dal fry! This is one of those ways. All you need for this dish is split chana dal, onions, tomato paste and basic spices!
You can make this in any pressure cooker or even stove top. If you are making it stove top, it takes little longer to cook. I like to use Instant Pot for cleanliness, ease and consistency! It is super comforting and satisfying. You can serve it with phulka roti, bhakhri, naan, any kind of flat bread or with some cumin rice along with side of raita and crunchy flavored veggies like onions and peppers! If you want to make it kids friendly, just cut down on the amount of red chili powder and green chilis.
This plant-based dish is naturally vegan and gluten-free. It is very high in protein, plant-protein! It is one of those regular dishes in my household that I make couple of times a month, or may be more! I hope you and your family like it as much as we do!
Happy & Healthy Eating!
Chana Dal Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 3 Cloves
- 3 Peppercorn
- 2 Whole Dry Red Chili
- 1 Stick Cinnamon, small
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Yellow Onions sliced
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp Grated Ginger
- 1 tsp Chopped Green Chili
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Dhanajiru
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1¼ cup Dry Chana Dal soaked for 4+ hours
- 1½ cup Water ½ cup for spice cooking, 1 cup later with dal½
Instructions
- Wash and soak chana dal in warm water for 4+ hours.
- Put instant pot on saute mode and warm up 2 tbsp of oil. If using regular Indian style pressure cooker, start warming same amount of oil in it.
- Add whole spices like cloves, peppercorn, cinnamon stick, whole dry red chilis, bay leaf and cumin seeds.
- Once cumin seeds start turning brown, add sliced onions, minced garlic, grated ginger and chopped green chili.
- Saute onions till they become translucent and raw smell of garlic goes away. It should take any where from 2-5 minutes. Make sure to stir it few times during this process so onions and garlic do not burn.
- Add 1 tbsp of tomato paste and ½ cup of water. Mix it well.
- Once tomato paste is all mixed up with onions, add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, dhana jiru (cumin coriander powder), garam masala. Mix it well.
- Let the spice mix cook for couple of minutes while stirring few times.
- Add soaked and drained chana dal along with 1 cup of water. Mix well and bring it to boil while keeping IP on saute mode or leaving the heat on medium for Indian style pressure cooker.
- Close the IP lid. Put IP on high pressure for 12 minutes. Once the cooking timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 7-10 minutes. Release rest of the pressure manually.
- If using Indian style pressure cooker, do 3 whistles and let the pressure release naturally all the way.
- Garnish it with freshly chopped cilantro and serve it with roti, bhakhri or rice, with side of raita and flavored onions!
