An easy to make moreish, masala laden chanay dal fry or dhaba dal that pairs wonderful with roti or naan! Tips for tweaking and serving with rice below too!
The first time I had this kind of chanay ki daal, it came in a plastic bag. No jokes. We were in Swat, Pakistan and it changed my life. Or at the very least my understanding of what dal could be. If you are looking for a more classic homestyle chanay ki daal then pop on over here, but otherwise keep reading!
Also, if you are a Daal Gosht fan, this one is *chefs kiss* if I do say so myself.
Fresh VS Paste: Ginger and Garlic
Homemade ginger and garlic pastes are must haves and far superior to the vinegar laden jarred versions (IMHO), but here there's something incredibly fun and bright and zingy about using some freshly minced ginger and garlic.
That said, life happens so if you need to sub then heaping spoonfuls of the pastes work.
Preboiled Daal
This recipe uses daal that has already been soaked (4+ hours) and boiled. I like to have boiled daals in the freezer for easy cooking. Instructions on cooking stovetop and in the instant pot are below. You want to cook it to where it is cooked through, but no soft.
Stovetop: Add 2.5 cups, ¾ tsp of salt, and water to a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until cooked through - approximately 30 minutes.
Instant Pot: Add 2.5 cups of water to your instant pot along with your soaked daal and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
Note: If you cook the daal (from raw) in the masala then the masala loses it's pungency .
Step by Step: Making Dhaba Dal or Chana Dal Fry
Heat a mix of oil and ghee in a pan - this is key for that classic Dhaba flavour and then add in your cumin seeds, let them sizzle. Now add onions, sauteing on medium high heat until the edges start to darken. You want some colour on there for rich flavour.
Now add in the fresh ginger and garlic, saute for just under a minute and then add in your tomatoes and spices.
Now we do a little flavor building by cooking the tomato masala, stirring frequently until the masala goes from the image on the left to the image on the right - this takes about 5-7 minutes. For quicker cooking just cover the pan with a lid for 2 minutes and then uncover.
Stir in your boiled daal, and then add in about a cup and a half of water and simmer (covered) for 10 minutes for the daal to absorb that flavour.
Adjust consistency to liking - you can keep your daal drier (left) or runnier (right) - whatever you prefer and then adjust the seasoning. Chanay ki daal tends to need a little more salt than say masoor.
Now add in your lemon juice, green chilies, chopped cilantro/coriander, garam masala and/or pepper. A little julienned ginger is so nice too, but you do you! Lovely with roti or rice.
To Tadka or Not to Tadka, That is the Question
9 times out of 10 I go with not. You see this dal has so much flavour, it doesn't need it. However, if you want to you can heat 3 tbsp of oil (and/or ghee) in a pan and cook sliced garlic, whole red chilies and cumin seeds till golden and pour over your finished daal.
What to Serve with Chana Dal Fry
You can serve it just as is with roti, but if you are looking for a fuller menu here are some ideas below.
Dhaba Dal or Chana Dal Fry
Equipment
- 1 wok or saute pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup chana daal (cooked) instructions in notes
- 4 tbsp ghee + oil (I use 2 tbsp each, but you can adjust to liking)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1.5 tbsp freshly minced ginger (or 1 measuring tbsp paste)
- 1.5 tbsp freshly minced garlic (or 1 measuring tbsp paste)
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chili powder (halve it for a less spicy dal)
- ½ tsp red chili flakes
- 2 tsp coriander powder roasted preferred
- ⅓ tsp turmeric
Finishing Touches
- ½-1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp freshly cracked pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2-3 green chilies (sliced)
- 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
- other add ins: julienned ginger, chaat masala
Instructions
- Heat your oil + ghee in a wide bottomed pan on medium high heat
- Add your cumin seeeds and once they sizzle add in your onions
- Cook, sauteing frequently until the edges take on a caramelly color.
- Add in your ginger and garlic and saute for a minute
- Now stir in your tomatoes, salt, chili powder + flakes, coriander powder, and turmeric.
- Cover with a lid for two minutes then remove the lid and saute until the masala becomes cohesive looking and the oil rises over the tomato paste. Add a splash of water if it starts to stick/burn.
- Stir in your daal followed by 1.5 cup water , bring to a boil, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. You want the daal to be completely tender and absorb the flavors. If it was a bit tough earlier then you may need more time here.
- Adjust the consistency to your liking and then adjust seasoning. If you are adding more water here then remember to bring it a boil first before shutting the stove off.
- Add your favorite finishing touches and dig in!
Zulina says
Hello, I made this chana dal on Friday and it turned out delicious. I will be sticking with this recipe for chana dal.
Sarah Mir says
That is fantastic to hear! thank you Zulina!
Zay says
Juust made this since I was craving daal so much and my goodness. It is *chefs kiss* 👌🏻
PS. My daal took longer to boil because I didnt soak it beforehand.
Sarah Mir says
aww thank you Zay!!! that is absolutely amazing to hear!!!!
Aylia Rizvi says
Great recipe! Pretended I was eating at a truck stop in the motherland (get it dhaba?)! I also wanted to mention that I love your well designed website and the menu suggestions area! Chef’s kiss!
Sarah Mir says
Wow thank you so much! I am thrilled you enjoyed it and also that you're finding the menu suggestions useful!
Mary says
Never made Chana daal before and tried this recipe. Hits the spot, thanks for recipe
Sarah Mir says
I am so glad!
Wardha says
This recipe is splendid !!
Sarah Mir says
Thank YOU so so much!!!!!
Shanti says
Hi! Stumbled across your lovely blog the other day, made this Chana dal and it was one of the best Chana dals have made!! Thanks for the recipe, definitely a keeper. BTW, you look like the Pakistani actress Syra Yousuf in your profile pic here.
sarahjmir@gmail.com says
Shanti I am blushing super hard at all your compliments, thank you so much!! I am afraid in reality I don't look like Syra Yusuf at all, but thank you!
Izzah | TeaforTurmeric says
Made this! My chana dal game needed work and this did the trick. Loved it. Finished off with some ghee and lemon juice. Thanks for another wonderful recipe, Sarah!!
sarahjmir@gmail.com says
absolutely thrilled to hear it! also i love the idea of adding a little ghee!