Chana dal Recipe - (Instant Pot & Stovetop)

Ingredients

• 1 cup chana dal (bengal gram) (soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1 large tomato (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic (minced )
• 1 green chili (slit lengthwise)
• 2 cups water (for cooking)
• 2 tablespoons oil ((or ghee))
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
• juice of half lime
• salt (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
• a pinch asafetida (hing)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Instant Pot Method: ---

2. 2

   Soak the chana dal in hot water for 15-20 minutes.

3. 3

   Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil, and once it's hot, add cumin seeds. Let them crackle.

4. 4

   Add minced onions, ginger garlic, and green chili. Saute till onions turn light brown.

5. 5

   Next, add tomatoes, dry spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook till tomatoes turn soft, which takes 2-3 minutes.

6. 6

   Then add soaked lentils, water and give a stir. Adjust spices at this stage. Also, deglaze the pot, i.e., make sure there is no food particle sticking to the pot to avoid burn alerts.

7. 7

   Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 12 minutes.

8. 8

   Once the pot beeps, let it release the pressure naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Lastly, squeeze some lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves (cilantro). Mix well. Add ½ cup of water to adjust the dal consistency if required.Optionally, You can also add extra tempering (tadka).

10. 10

    Instant Pot Chana Dal curry, also known as Bengal gram dal or split chickpeas lentils, is ready. Serve hot with steamed rice, quinoa, or roti.

11. 11

    --- Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method: ---

12. 12

    Follow the same steps from the instant pot instructions. Give 3-4 whistles on medium flame and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.

13. 13

    --- Stovetop Pot Method ---

14. 14

    Just soak the chana dal for 3-4 hours and then boil it in a large pot for 25-30 minutes or until soft. After the lentils are cooked, prepare the tempering. Then saute onion-tomato-ginger-garlic paste and then assemble the dal.