Easy Restaurant Style Chana Dal Recipe

Soak 1 cup of chana dal in water for over an hour.

Drain the dal and transfer it to a pan. Add 3½ cups of water, ½ tsp of turmeric, and ½ tsp of salt. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook until the dal is tender.

Heat 2½ tbsp of cooking oil in a pan. Once hot, add 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 2 small cinnamon sticks, 3 cloves, 5-6 black peppercorns, and 1 bay leaf. Stir for 30-40 seconds until fragrant.

Add 2 tsp of chopped garlic and 1 tsp of chopped ginger to the pan. Fry until the raw smell disappears.

Incorporate 2-3 finely chopped green chilies and 1 cup of chopped onion. Season with ¼ tsp of salt. Fry until the onions turn light brown.

Add 2 small chopped tomatoes, ½ tsp of salt (to taste), ½ tsp of red chili powder, ½ tsp of turmeric, 1 tsp of coriander powder, and ½ tsp of roasted cumin powder. Sauté until the oil separates from the mixture, about 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water if needed to prevent sticking.

Add 100 gm of chopped spinach and stir well for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cooked dal to the mixture. Pour in 1 cup of water, ¼ tsp of garam masala, ½ tsp of kasuri methi, and 1 tbsp of ghee. Mix everything well.

Let the dal simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 tsp of lemon or lime juice to taste.

Garnish with sliced ginger, chopped coriander, and green chili. Serve hot with porota, roti, or rice.

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