The fact that there are over a few hundred types of Indian Lentil dishes should tell you something about the pride Indians have in their food. Lentils known as Dal, is essential to the Indian heart and soul. Indian food is interestingly, from diverse regional cuisines. Each of the regions have a characteristic set of flavors & tastes. Creamy & milder dishes predominate the North, while spicy, coconut and curry leaves flavoured dishes rule the South. This Andhra Style split chickpea recipe is one of the traditional dishes that is also made in other South Indian states. It is similar to the Poriyal, Sundal or Thoran made in other states. Split chickpeas are also known as Chana dal or Bengal gram and are used in a lot of Indian dishes. They are the skinned & split version of the black chickpeas known as Kala Chana /desi chickpeas. To make this dish, split chickpeas are first cooked until tender and then tempered with whole spices and curry leaves. Lastly fresh grated coconut is added to it. Fresh coconut is the heart of this dish. In the absence of fresh coconut, you may use frozen or soak unsweetened desiccated coconut in warm milk and use. But it won’t taste the same. This is a staple in my home and on occasions when I run out of coconut, I use baby spinach or grated carrots or radish/daikon. Stir fry until the veggies are tender. The dish won’t taste the same but yes it does taste delicious and is healthy too.
How to Cook Split Chickpeas (Stepwise Photos)
Preparation
1.Rinse 1 cup Chana dal well at least thrice. Drain the water completely. Pour 1 ¾ cups water and soak for 2 hours. Place this on the stove and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium. 2. Cook uncovered. As you cook, you will see plenty of froth/scum which you may remove if you want. This can sometimes cause stomach gas and bloating. But since I soak the lentils for 2 hours, I don’t discard it. If you have a sensitive stomach, you may remove that with a slotted spoon and discard. Pour some hot boiling water. 3. While the lentils cook, prepare the tempering ingredients. You will need 1 to 2 sprigs of curry leaves, 2 to 3 green chilies, 4 to 5 garlic cloves (crushed), 1 teaspoon urad dal, ½ to ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds, ¼ to ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and a pinch of hing. I also like to add 1 teaspoon grated ginger as it helps in digestion and goes well here. 4. When there is little water left, cover and simmer on a low heat until the split chickpeas are completely tender and soft, yet not mushy. 5. Most of the water is absorbed and cooked perfectly. But if your lentils are not soft enough, Pour some boiling water and cook. 6. Perfectly cooked lentils should not have hard centers. You may eat a few and check. Undercooked lentils can cause stomach issues. 7. Mash the dal with a spoon and check. It should get mashed well easily. Keep the pot covered even after you turn off the stove to keep the lentils moist and not dry out.
Temper
- To a hot pan or a small tadka pan, add 2 tablespoons oil or ghee. When the oil becomes hot, turn the heat to medium. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies and garlic.
- As soon as the lentils turn light golden, add curry leaves and green chilies. Fry until the chilies blister and the curry leaves turn crisp.
- Optionally you may add 1 teaspoon grated ginger, pinch of turmeric and a pinch of hing. Stir well.
- Transfer the cooked lentils to the pan & mix. Taste test.
- Add more salt if required and add grated coconut. Mix and turn off the heat. If using fresh home grated coconut, we don’t heat it any longer. Since I used the frozen coconut, I stir fry it until hot.
- We prefer to add a dash of lemon juice at this stage and it is optional. Serve split chickpeas with rice-rasam or as a snack. Related Recipes
Recipe Card
