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A bowl of daal in a white ceramic bowl placed on top of a round cutting board, with a red and green pepper positioned on the upper left corner of the image. A silver spoon is placed adjacent to the papers.
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Spicy Chana Dal

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Inactive Time8 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: chana daal, chana dal, yellow split chickpea recipe, yellow split pea Indian recipe
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 5 cups water plus extra
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp sea salt plus extra
  • ½ lb chanal dal or yellow split peas
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
  • 1 Roma tomato chopped
  • 1 to 2 green chili peppers chopped
  • ½ tsp ground cumin powder
  • ¼ to ½ tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
  • ½ tsp regular or smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp garam masala
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano optional
  • ¼ tsp corriander powder optional
  • ¼ tsp fennel seeds optional
  • A pinch of black mustard seeds optional

Instructions

  • Soak the yellow split peas in water overnight. Drain and rinse the beans before use.
  • Bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add ¼ teaspoon of the turmeric, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and the chana dal to the pot. Simmer over medium heat for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the beans are tender. The beans should be soft but not overly mushy.
  • While the beans are boiling, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a separate pot, then add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Fry until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, green chili peppers, the remaining turmeric powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, and garam masala. Add the optional spices here if using. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add ¼ cup of water and stir. Bubble for 15 minutes over low heat. The spice mixture is done when the oil floats to the top.
  • Pour the spice mixture into the yellow split peas. Cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, until the beans are tender and the spices have had time to infuse their flavor. Stir every 15 minutes to prevent sticking.
  • If the dal becomes too thick, add water and thin it out to your desired consistency.
  • Taste the dal and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. If the dal tastes grassy, cook it for another 15 minutes. Fully cooked yellow split peas should have a slightly nutty taste. Adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.

Video

Notes

  • If using unsoaked chana dal, allow at least an additional 60 minutes for them to become tender. 
  • You can use yellow split peas as a substitute for chana dal. Yellow split peas cook faster than chana dal.
  • Different brands require different cook times. Reference the instructions from the package.
  • If you can't pinpoint why your dal tastes "off," it can be a sign that it requires more cooking or more salt.
  • The spice mixture is called tadka, often referred to as gravy in Indian cooking.