Sweet Chana Dal

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Breakfast Vegan Vegetarian

Prep Time

10 minutes

Prep Notes

Bean Soaking Time: 1 hour

Chana Dal is a small, easy to digest bean from India. It looks like a yellow split pea, but it does not cook down to mush. It is similar to chick-peas, or garbonzo beans. It is very versatile, and has a mild flavor and mixes well with rice and other grains. Chana Dal is nutritious, and is good for folks fighting diabetes as it is low on the glycemic index. Chana Dal - or mung beans - can be found in Asian markets. 

Cooking Time

60 minutes

Yields

4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup chana dal - or mung beans (small yellow beans similar to chickpeas)
6 cups water
1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tomatoes cut into wedges 
4 tbsps dry coconut flakes
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp sea salt


Directions

  1. If you have time, pour the dried chana in a bowl and cover with fresh water for an hour. This soaking will help speed up your cooking time.
  2. Bring water and dal to boil.
  3. Lower heat to simmer and cook 45 minutes.
  4. Skim foam off the top as you notice it forming.
  5. Heat olive oil or ghee in a frying pan on medium heat.
  6. Add cumin seeds and grated ginger to dal and cook 3 minutes.
  7. Stir and continue cooking until beans are thoroughly cooked for about 10 more minutes.
  8. Remove dal from pot and add tomatoes, coconut flakes, syrup, and salt.
  9. Mix well and serve.

Notes

Chana is a variety of chickpea that is small and split in half. Chana dal is a common dish in India, typically made as a thick soup and served with chapattis (flatbreads), rice, and other vegetable dishes. This recipe is one example of the many ways to make chana dal.

  • Look for organic chana in the bulk section of your health food store or in a specialty Indian market. If you can’t find it, substitute with yellow split peas.

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Michele M. Rizzo - Christian Minister, Diploma Classical Homeopathy (D.Hom) Certified Nutritional Health Coach (CHC) 

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