Dal pakwan is one of the most famous Sindhi breakfast recipes. It is a combination of two components. Cooked chana dal with toppings is served with crispy fried bread known as pakwan.
Creamy spicy and tangy chana dal topped with chutneys and veggies is tasty by itself but scoop it up with crispy pakwan it becomes a sensory delight. Traditionally Dal pakwan is served for breakfast but it can also be served as a snack or lunch as well.
I am sharing this recipe in two parts one is making chana dal and you can check the Pakwan recipe here. In this post, I am sharing the chana dal recipe. You can have this chana dal with chapati or rice as well.
Sometimes I toast a slice of bread and smear it with ghee chana dal with bread also tastes delicious. So make a big batch of this dal and enjoy it with anything if you are feeling too lazy to make pakwan.
It is a time-consuming recipe as it requires several components but if you plan it beforehand it becomes easier. I mostly make pakwan one day before as these stay good for about a week. Tamarind chutney and green chutney is always in the fridge and making this chana dal takes 30 minutes at max
Jump to:
Why We Love This Recipe
This is a no onion no garlic dal recipe.
Dal recipe is naturally gluten-free, low in glycemic index and rich in fibre and protein.
Ingredients for Chana Dal
Chana dal: Chana dal is a split and skinned horse gram. It is gluten-free, low in GI and rich in fibres and protein. You can easily find it in the Indian grocery section of supermarkets, online or in an Indian store if you live outside India.
Ghee: You can use ghee or vegetable oil. Ghee tastes best and is a healthy fat so I prefer to use that.
Tomatoes: I have used tomatoes which I churned in a grinder jar to make a puree.
Aromatics: Onions, Fresh ginger roots, curry leaves and green chillies.
Spices: Turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, asafoetida / hing, salt.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions - How to Make Dal Pakwan
Here's How to Cook Chana Dal
Wash Chana dal 2-3 times and soak it for one hour.
- Heat one tablespoon ghee in a pressure cooker.
- Add hing/asafoetida and chopped onion. Also, add chopped green chillies and ginger.
- Saute till onion change colour to pink and become translucent. Add turmeric red chilli powder and salt.
- Stir and add tomato puree.
- Cook tomato puree for 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
- Stir it in between and add washed and drained Chana dal.
- Add 4 cups of water and cover with pressure cooker lid with weight on.
- After one whistle reduce the heat. Pressure cook it for 3 whistles. Allow the pressure to release naturally and open the lid.
- Mix and mash Chana dal slightly but make sure the grains remain separate and it should not be completely mashed.
- For tempering of the dal heat ghee and add cumin seeds.
- When cumin starts to splutter add curry leaves.
- Pour this hot tempering over dal and mix. Chana dal for dal pakwan is ready.
- Pour Chana dal in a bowl. Pour a couple of tablespoons of tamarind chutney.
- Add green chutney, red chilli powder and sev and enjoy it with crisp pakwan.
Substitutions
If you want you can make it vegan by replacing ghee with vegetable oil of your choice.
Variations
Just like any other recipe you can make it no onion no garlic recipe by skipping onions and following the rest of the recipe as it is. Or Make it less spicy or spicier.
- Spicy - add regular chilli powder to add more heat.
- Kid friendly - add a little bit jaggery or about a teaspoon of sugar in whole recipe to reduce the heat.
Equipment
You can make it in a regular pressure cooker or an Instant Pot. If you do not have both and want to cook dal in a pot or dutch oven increase the cooking time to about 60 minutes.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Chana dal has is not completely mashed in this dish but it should be well cooked.
- If you do not have a pressure cooker you can also cook the dal in the pan.
- This Chana dal recipe can be made in the instant pot.
- The chana dal should be cooked nicely but should not be too mushy.
- The addition of sev as garnish is not traditional but we love it so I have added that.
- You can make it vegan by replacing ghee with vegetable oil of your choice
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight glass bowl for uptown 2 days. You can Chana dal it ahead of time and it stays good in the fridge for 2 days and in the freezer for 6-7 weeks.
If you freeze it first shift the container in the fridge side and allow it to thaw in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or pan.
Serving Suggestions
As a Sindhi breakfast, Chana dal garnished with green chutney, tamarind chutney and red chilli powder is served with pakwan. But you can serve Chana dal with steamed rice, jeera rice, paratha or even toasted bread.
More Such Recipes
- Green Mung Dal
- Whole Lentils with Potatoes in Instant Pot
- Sindhi Kadhi Recipe
- Chana Pulao - Chickpeas Rice
- Dal Fry Recipe
Watch Video
If You like this recipe and made it Please rate the recipe. It helps us to reach more people. You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest for more food inspirations.
📖 Recipe
Dal Pakwan Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup chana dal soaked 1 hour
- 4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- 2 green chilli chopped
- 1 cup Tomato pureed
- ½ teaspoon turmeric haldi
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida / hing
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For Tadka/Tempering
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 sprig curry leaves
For Serving
- ¼ teaspoon Red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon Mango powder
- 1 tablespoon Tamarind chutney optional
- 1 teaspoon Sev
Instructions
Cooking Chana Dal
- Wash Chana dal 2-3 times and soak it for one hour.
- Heat one tablespoon ghee in a pressure cooker.
- Add hing/asafoetida and chopped onion. Also, add chopped green chillies and ginger.
- Saute till onion change colour to pink and become translucent.
- Add turmeric red chilli powder and salt. Stir and add tomato puree.
- Cook tomato puree for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Stir it in between and add washed and drained Chana dal.
- Add 4 cups of water and cover with pressure cooker lid with weight on.
- After one whistle reduce the heat. Pressure cook it for 3 whistles.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally and open the lid.
- Mix and mash Chana dal slightly but make sure the grains remain separate and it should not be completely mashed.
Make Tadka
- For tempering of the dal heat ghee and add cumin seeds.
- When cumin starts to splutter add curry leaves and pour this hot tempering over dal and mix.
- Chana dal for dal pakwan is ready.
To Serve
- Pour Chana dal in a bowl. Pour a couple of tablespoons of tamarind chutney, green chutney, red chilli powder and sev.
Video
Notes
- Chana dal has is not completely mashed in this dish but it should be well cooked.
- If you do not have a pressure cooker you can also cook the dal in the pan.
- This Chana dal recipe can be made in the instant pot.
- The chana dal should be cooked nicely but should not be too mushy.
- The addition of sev as garnish is not traditional but we love it so I have added that.
- You can make it vegan by replacing ghee with vegetable oil of your choice.
If you freeze it first shift the container in the fridge side and allow it to thaw in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or pan. Serving Suggestions: As a Sindhi breakfast Chana dal garnished with green chutney, tamarind chutney and red chilli powder is served with pakwan. But you can serve Chana dal with steamed rice, jeera rice, paratha or even toasted bread.
Leave me your feedback here please