Chana Dal Dilpasand (Tadka Dal)

My mother in law had given me a cook book,'Vyanjan Bahar' (व्यंजन बहार) by Prem Bengani when I came here from India. It has a variety of dishes from across India. It has been my guide since then. I refer this book in my daily cooking. One of the dishes, I make from this book is Chana Dal Dilpasand. I love this fancy name for our simple tadka dal. Today, I am going to share this recipe which is largely from this book.

Now, coming to the benefits of lentils in our diet, lentils are a very good source of protein and essential amino acids. For a vegetarian diet, it is a must to include lentils in your daily diet. I use many varieties of lentils in the food I prepare. Chana Dal is the one quite frequently used.

Here is the recipe for Chana Dal Dilpasand (Tadka Dal):

This recipe serves 3-4 people.
Ingredients:

100 gm chana dal (split peas)
2 cup water.
1 small onion.
1 medium tomato.
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper.
a bunch of coriander leaves chopped finely.
1 green chilli chopped finely.
1 tsp cumin seeds.
2 tbsp oil.
¼ tsp turmeric powder.
½ tsp red chilli powder.
½ tsp garam masala.
1 tsp salt or to taste.
a few strands of grated ginger.

Process:

Wash and rinse the chana dal and soak it in water for half an hour. Pressure cook it till 2 whistles such that they are tender. Add salt and turmeric powder while pressure cooking. When done, take it in a bowl and keep aside.
Heat a frying pan. Add oil to it. When heated add cumin seeds to it such that they crack right away. Add grated ginger and chopped chilli. Then add the chopped onions and green pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes such that the onions are translucent. Now add the tomatoes and sauté for a minute. Add the chana dal and stir. Add all the spices and cook for 5 minutes. Garnish it with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice or phulkas.

I am sending this to Rachel's Event 'My Legume Love Affair#20' (MLLA)starting by Susan.
Enjoy!!