Iftar Special Chana Dal

Quick and easy iftar special chana dal recipe is healthy and nutritious. This Hyderabad style Ramadan special chana dal chaat is vegan, gluten-free and perfect for diet watchers. Make this chana dal recipe (chanae ki dal) with just 5 simple ingredients in 2 easy steps.

More Recipes Like Chana Dal – Red Lobia Sundal, White Peas Sundal, Fresh Rajma Sundal, Kala Chana Salad, Mixed Sprouts Salad, Chickpea Raw Mango Salad

About This Recipe

Eating healthy and nutritious food is essential during fasting days. There are plenty of healthy options to include in your iftar meal plan. My today’s recipe of chana dal is one good example for healthy, nutritious and fat-free iftar snack.

Hyderabad style spicy and tangy chana dal is must-try iftar recipe. No fancy ingredients are required to make this dal. Just boil chana dal with chillies, coriander, mint, lemon juice and salt. Interesting isn’t it?

Yes, call this a chaat or salad, chana dal is the main ingredient in making this recipe. With zero-oil and 100 percent taste, this iftar chana dal is best recipe ever.

Iftar Chana Dal Recipe

Though a lot of new foods have been introduced during Ramadan, the charm and the place of old ones is irreplaceable. By seeing the recipes on internet, if you think people eat only samosa, pakoda, puff, cutlet, etc. in iftar, then you are wrong. Over the time, these recipes have become popular but simple recipes like chana dal, ganji (kanji) and fruit chaat are still relished.

My today’s recipe of Hyderabadi Iftar Dal is one of the popular and most commonly prepared iftar recipe. With spicy and tangy flavours this chana dal recipe is best to relish after a day long fast.

Loaded with nutrition and health benefits, chana dal recipe is perfect for weight watchers and is diabetic friendly too.

Iftar Chana Dal Main Ingredients

Chana Dal | Split Chickpeas | Senaga Pappu (Telugu) – This a very commonly available lentil in any South Indian pantry. We prepare a lot of recipes using chana dal. Chana dal is one of the main ingredient in South Indian tempering (tadka) too.

Green Chillies – Adds spice and flavour.

Lemon Juice – Adds tangy taste, which makes this chana dal mouth watering.

Black Pepper – Brings in heat, spice and flavour.

Coriander & Mint Leaves – Brings aroma and freshness in the recipe.

Tips & Variations

• You can either boil chana dal in a pot on stove-top or you can pressure cook it.
• Soaking chana dal for at least 30-45 minutes cuts down the boiling time.
• Remember, not to overcook chana dal. If you are making this for the first time, then I recommend using stove top boiling method only.
• For this recipe, as you can seen in the pictures, chana dal should be soft not mushy, There should be bite in the dal which makes this dal unique and yum.
• You can add even add fine slices of onion, tomato and chaat masala too.

2-Ways To Cook Chana Dal

Stove-Top Method

In this method, add soaked dal to a pot with enough water. Keep this on a stove and bring it to boil. Now reduce the flame and cook till dal turns soft.

Once the dal turns soft, turn off the flame and drain the excess water. Leave this to come down to room temperature and mix the other ingredients and make iftar chana dal recipe.

Pressure Cook Method

In this method, add soaked chana dal to a pressure cooker and add enough water. Cook on low flame for one whistle and turn off the flame.

Wait till steam settles. Remove the lid and drain the excess water.

The cooking time of the dal totally depends on the quality of the dal. Sometimes, it takes two whistles for me to cook chana dal. So, if the dal is not soft, then you can pressure cook it for one more whistle.

Split Chickpeas Nutrition & Benefits

High in dietary fiber

Promotes gut health

Helps in lowering cholesterol

Split chickpeas (chana dal) contain B-complex vitamins that play an important role in glucose metabolism which helps in keeping the body active and energetic. So, a bowl of chana dal is all you need at the end of the fast to boost the energy levels and to keep you active.

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This recipe of my iftar chana dal is part of Joy From Fasting To Feasting – IX, Global Ramadan event. It is always wonderful to connect with Muslim Food Bloggers round the globe and know more about their Ramadan traditions and celebrations.