Dhaba style chana daal

Chana daal

I wish i’d cook daal more often, my kids are terrible at eating any daal🤷🏻‍♀️so i end up not cooking it too often,

I love chana daal and learnt to add meethi/dried fenugreek leaves to it to give it an extra special flavour from my mother in law,the smell of the leaves some people can be partial to😁@nyla

• 11/2 cup chana daal/split chickpeas

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• 1inch ginger minced

• 3 tomatoes diced

• 2 curry leaves

• 11/2tsp crushed red chillies

• 1tsp salt

• 1tsp cumin powder

• 1tsp corriander powder

• 1tsp garam masala

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

• 3/4 tsp black pepper

• 2 tbsp imli/tamarind paste or sauce

• Oil 1/2cup

• 1 square knorr chicken bouillon if want to keep vegetarian then add veggie broth or just skip

• For garnishing green chillies,cilantro

• For tarka -fry half sliced onion in few tbsp oil and when brown add cumin seeds 1/2tsp and turn off heat

Add daal with 4-5 cups water and salt and let boil then cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours or so, may need less if u pre soak the daal for a couple of hours which is preferable

Checking if done dont let it get too soft, add more water in between if needed

U can always cook in instapot or pressure cooker

In a separate pan add oil fry the tomatoes till soft and oil separates and then add ginger and garlic fry a few minutes and then add all others spices (except fenugreek leaves) and tamarind paste ,fry a few minutes till oil separates and add daal now and cook 2 minutes add fenugreek leaves mix and turn off heat

Add the tarka and garnishes , squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top

Eat with naan,rice or chapati

I usually always have simple onion tomato and mint salad with it too

Fry