Tasty Chana Dal: chow down without guilt
I love to mix up recipes a bit--make them fun and fresh again, so instead of using the traditional red lentil beans, I substituted in split
chickpeas or Chana Dal*. The result was delectable. Over the course of a few days, I put chana dal on everything. It's great by itself and also incredible on toast, salad, dolloped on creamy corn soup, mixed with rice to add texture, served as a side with spicy fried fish, added to a grilled fajita wrap, served in a dipping bowl with baked cheesy nachos, well, just everything.
And apart from being super tasty, chana dal is very healthy so you can eat without any guilt. Go ahead and just chow down. It is an excellent source of protein and fiber.
Chana Dal (Split Chickpea Dal)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger (Store bought is
great)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh garlic (Store bought
is great)
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup dried Chana Dal, thoroughly rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon clarified butter (ghee)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, washed, stemmed and coarsely
chopped, plus more for garnish
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
sea salt
In a large stock pot over medium heat, slick the bottom
of the pan with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the onions for 3 minutes.
Lower the heat to low and add in the ginger and garlic for 2 minutes. Keep stirring to ensure it does not burn. Pour in the broth and add in the chana dal and
turmeric. Raise the heat to medium high and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally. The consistency should start to become thick. If more broth is
required, add it little by little.
In a separate small skillet heat the clarified butter
over medium low heat and add in the cumin and cayenne pepper. Cook for 2
minutes. Turn off the heat.
When the chana dal is al dente but feeling slightly tender, fold in
the tomatoes and the clarified butter mixture into the dal and mix. Turn off
the heat and fold in cilantro. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro and salt to taste.
*You might also find Split Chickpea under the name Split Garbanzos at a health food store. For health benefits, of Chana Dal, check out David Mendosa. http://www.mendosa.com/chanadal.html
Labels: Appetizer, beans, Chickpeas, cilantro, Comfort Food, Dal, garden salad, garlic, Ghee, ginger, onion
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