Sweet and Spicy Channa Dal

Sweet and Spicy Channa Dal

We eat this dal at home all the time, maybe even once a week. It is my all-time favorite channa dal recipe. Actually, it’s the only recipe I really like with channa dal. If it’s not cooked like this, I tend to give channa dal a skip. This recipe is simple, and can be made in large quantities and frozen to eat later.

Sweet and Spicy Channa Dal
1 onion, chopped fine
1 ½ cups channa dal
½ tsp ginger paste
½ tsp garlic paste
½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp sugar

 Soak the dal in water for 20 to 40 minutes. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, and when hot add the chopped onions. Fry till it is translucent, at this point; add the ginger and garlic pastes. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the raw smell goes. Next, add the chili powder and the sugar. Mix together well, and put in the dal. Add water only enough to cover the dal. Mix it well, and put on the lid and whistle. Turn the heat down to medium.

Cook till the whistle blows, then turn the heat to low and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Switch off the stove and allow the pressure to come down for another 20 minutes. Open the pressure cooker (using the appropriate instructions) and check if the dal is cooked. If not, repeat the process. If it is cooked, but there is still a lot of water in the cooker, then turn the flame on medium-high and cook without the lid, till most of the water evaporates. Serve hot with chapatti.

Notes:
* IF YOU ARE USING A PRESSURE COOKER, PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH THE COOKER. IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF NOT USED PROPERLY! My recipe instructions are written with the assumption that you know how to use one and this blog is not responsible for your use of a pressure cooker. Every cooker has a slightly different cooking time, and water absorption. If there isn't enough water in the cooker, your food will burn and cleaning that cooker is a pain in the backside!