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Channa Dal Curry (Split Chick Pea Curry)

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This dal curry is made out of the split chickpea (Bengal gram) with the husk removed. I sometimes use this lentil to make a simple soup by seasoning it with sauteed onions, bay leaf, turmeric, and cumin powder.

This dal was a must every time Biryani was fixed at home. To make the dal tastier, Mom would have Cook add the bones left over from the large cut of meat that was chopped up for the Biryani. Since I use boneless meat for the Byriani, I  add beef broth to give it a meatier taste, but it also tastes perfectly good just by adding water.

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Channa Dal Curry (Split Chick Pea Curry)

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 6
A delicious healthy, nutritious lentil dish that you can serve as a main dish or side dish. It goes perfectly with Biriyani, any kind of pilaf, plain boiled rice, or flat bread.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried split chickpea dal (Sort for stones and grit, clean, and rinse. Soak the chickpeas for half an hour)
  • 4 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 medium onions (chopped fine)
  • 1 medium green Serrano chili (chopped very fine)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste (or 1 8 oz can tomato sauce)
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste (preferably fresh)
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste (preferably fresh)
  • salt (to taste)
  • 4 cups water (or more, depending on the amount of gravy you want)
  • 1 tbsp fresh green coriander (finely chopped for garnish)

Whole Spices

  • 1 large black cardamom
  • 2 medium Bay leaves
  • 3 cloves
  • 5 peppercorns

Masalas

  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 ½ tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp tumeric powder
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder (more or less, according to your taste)

Instructions 

Preparation

  • Sort for stones and grit, and clean, and rinse the chickpeas.
  • Soak for half an hour.

To Cook

  • Heat oil in a 4-6 quart pot over medium heat.
  • Add the whole spices and then add the onions. Sauté until the onions are ¾ brown. Approximately 8-10 minutes.
  • Add the ginger and garlic paste, then add all the masalas and stir a few minutes until fragrant. About 1-2 minutes.  
  • Add the chickpeas, water, and tomato paste. Partially cover and cook until nice and tender. Approximately 45 minutes.
  • When nearly done, mash some of the lentils against the side of the pot to make a thicker gravy.
  • Cook for another 10 minutes.
  • Pour into a serving dish and garnish with about a tablespoon full of fresh chopped cilantro.

Notes

1. You can substitute some of the water with vegetable, beef or chicken broth. Add additional water if necessary to get a thick soupy consistency.
2. You can also serve this dal with Biryani, any kind of pilaf, plain boiled rice, or flat bread.
3. You can boil the dal separately and then add it to the curry masala and let it simmer for 15 minutes to absorb all the flavors.
4. I like to use a pressure cooker to hasten the process.  
Course: Main Course, Non-Vegetarian
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Bengal gram, channa dal, curry
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In Recipes

Boondi Raita (Deep Fried Chickpea Flour Balls in Yogurt Sauce)

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Boondi is deep-fried chickpea flour balls, spiced with chili powder and salt. The batter is dropped through a holed slotted spoon into hot oil that creates small chickpea flour balls. These are fried until light brown. They are crunchy and can be used as a salty snack (namkeen) or used in raita.

Boondi can also be sweetened and used to make delicious laddus.

Boondi is readily available at Indian grocery stores, so it saves you the headache of fixing it yourself. Some have more spice than others. The choice is yours.

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Boondi Raita (Deep Fried Chickpea Flour Balls in Yogurt Sauce)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Boondi is deep-fried chickpea flour balls, spiced with chili powder and salt. Added to yogurt, they make a delicious, savory side dish that complements any meal.

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups plain yogurt (whole, fat-free, or lowfat )
  • 1 cup boondi (namkeen, salted)
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • ½ tsp roasted cumin powder (plus a pinch for garnish)
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder (plus a pinch for garnish)
  • ¼ tsp black pepper powder
  • ¼ tsp chaat masala (optional)

Instructions 

  • In a bowl add the yogurt with the spice powders. Blend well and set aside.
  • Put the boondi in a bowl and pour boiling water over it.
  • Let sit for a minute then pour into a strainer to drain the water.
  • Carefully press down on the soaked boondi with the back of a spoon to remove the excess water. This gets rid of the excess oil and softens the boondi. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, add the boondi to the yogurt. Mix well. Pour into a serving bowl and sprinkle some of the spiced powder on top and a few dry boondi.

Notes

You can also add two chopped tablespoons of fresh cilantro (corriander) to the yogurt or use a bit for garnish.
If you like a crunchy raita you do not have to soak the boondi. Just add it to the raita.   
 
Shout out to engin akyurt on Unsplash for the great photo of the chickpeas!
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: boondi, raita, sauce, yogurt
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In Main Dishes

Lauki Channa Dal (Bottle Gourd Chickpea Curry)

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We are visiting my husband’s Mamajee (mother’s brother) in Chandigarh. Mamijee (his wife) is busy in the kitchen supervising the meal. I am with her to see if I can lend a hand—and, since I am family, it would be most disrespectful of me to sit like a guest and not ask if I can help! The dal is already boiled, and the lauki (bottle gourd) is being prepared. I watch and try to stay out of the way until I am needed.

Bottle gourd belongs to the family of summer squashes in India like Ridge gourd (Tori) and Indian round gourd (Tinda).

Lauki always makes me think of Loki in Norse Mythology!

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Lauki Chana Dal (Bottle Gourd Chickpea Curry)

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 people
A North Indian specialty, perfect for a vegetarian main or side dish!

Ingredients

For the Dal

  • 1 cup channa dal
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger root
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 4 cups water

For the Gourd

  • 1 medium gourd, peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium onion chopped fine
  • 2 medium tomatoes chopped fine
  • ½ tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 serrano chili, sliced in half (optional)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder (optional)
  • ½ tsp ground cumin powder
  • ¼ tsp garam masala (or to your taste)
  • 1½-2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (fresh green coriander leaves)
  • 3 tbsp cooking oil

Instructions 

For the Dal

  • Sort and clean the dal well of any grit. Wash, rubbing grains together with your fingers, at least 3 times and soak in water for half an hour, then drain and place in a 4 to 6-quart pot.
  • Add 4 cups of water, chopped ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Set on the stove and cook on high, partially covered, until it comes to a rolling boil. You can remove any froth that surfaces with a spoon.
  • Lower heat and let simmer for approximately 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and blended. Turn off the heat.

For the Gourd

  • Peel and cut the gourd in half, then cut in half again and chop into bite-size bits. If the gourd is more mature, the inside flesh might be a little spongy, and you can remove some of it. Immerse in a bowl of water and set aside.

For the Curry

  • Heat oil in a large pot. Add cumin seeds and wait until they sputter and turn brown, about 30 seconds (careful, they burn quickly!).
  • Add finely chopped onions and sauté until three-quarters brown, 8-10 mins.
  • Add the turmeric powder, cumin, and red chili powder. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the finely chopped tomatoes. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are cooked and start to curl.
  • Add the bottle gourd after draining. Stir for about one minute, then add 2 cups of water. Cover and cook until almost done, approximately 15minutes.
  • Add to the cooked dal and let boil for another 5-10 minutes so the curry and dal are blended and flavors infused.
  • Check for salt. Add more hot water if the consistency is too thick. Sprinkle the garam masala on top and stir.
  • Pour into a deep serving dish. Garnish with coriander.

Notes

Serve with plain boiled white rice or rotis.
You can omit the tomatoes—it still tastes good!
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: chickpea, north indian, vegan, vegetarian

Farmers’ Market (Apni Mandi) in Chandigarh by Sarbjit Bahga

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In Gluten Free

Kala Channa Curry (Brown Chickpea Curry)

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I am sorting and cleaning kala channa (desi chickpeas) which are a smaller brown version of garbanzo beans (kabuli channa in India). I plan to soak them overnight to cook the next day.

I recall grocery shopping for them once, straddled on the back seat of a moped. After many practice rounds around the block, I had allowed our ten-year-old son to drive me to the market, which was just around the corner. It was a relatively safe ride as the market was in a cantonment area where military families were given housing accommodation. Since he was never allowed to drive it on his own, he was aware of the privilege. It was a great parental tool for good behavior! Of course, he was eagerly awaiting driving the car, but that was not going to happen any time soon! Driving rules and regulations were not strictly imposed at that time in India, as you can tell!

As with most lentils and beans, chickpeas can be soaked overnight and cooked in several ways. When soaked overnight and sprouted for a few days, they make a power snack. My husband has taken a handful every morning for years.

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Kala Channa Curry (Brown Chickpea Curry)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 6 people
A delicious bean curry of whole brown chickpeas seasoned with tomato, ginger, garlic, and a blend of Indian spices.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried kala channa (brown chickpeas) (or garbanzo beans)
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped very fine (or use a food processor)
  • 1 green Serrano chili
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste (or an 8-oz can of tomato sauce)
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste (preferably fresh)
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste (preferably fresh)
  • Salt to taste
  • 6 cups water (or more, depending on the amount of gravy you want)

Whole Spices

  • 1 large black cardamom (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 4-5 peppercorns
  • 1 small cinnamon stick

Masala

  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1½ tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder (to your taste)

Garnish

  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a 4-6 quart pot over medium heat. Add whole spices, stir, then add theonions and sauté until three-quarters brown (about 7-8 minutes).
  • Add the ginger and garlic pastes and all the masala powders. Stir 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remember to scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking and burning. If it does start to stick, you can add 2 tablespoons of water, hot or cold.
  • Add the tomato paste with about a ¼ cup water and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the soaked chickpeas and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for approximately one hour, stirring every now and then (after about 50 minutes, check to see if the chickpeas are nearly done. If it looks like the water is drying up at any point, add a little more hot water).
  • Mash some of the chickpeas against the side of the pan to make a thicker gravy. Cook for another 5 minutes until tender.
  • Garnish with the fresh chopped cilantro.
  • Serve with plain boiled rice, any Indian style Pilaf, or any kind of flat bread.

Notes

You can boil the beans separately until three-quarters done and then add to the curry masala. Simmer for at least 15-20 minutes more to absorb all the flavors of the curry and cook until the beans are completely done.
If substituting with non-organic, canned garbanzo beans, be sure to rinse them to get rid of preservatives.
You can use bottled ginger and garlic paste instead of fresh.
I like to use a pressure cooker to hasten the process. I just follow the manufacturer’s manual on cooking time for beans.  
Cooking time will vary depending on whether you boil the beans first, cook them with the curry mixture, or use cooked canned beans. Remember cooking time also varies depending on the altitude of the place where you live.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: chickpea, vegan, vegetarian
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