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Chana dal (split bengal gram)

Beans, lentils & pulses · Lentils & dals

Chana dal (split bengal gram)

Split, skinned desi chickpeas: firm yellow dal that keeps a bite, used in dals, stuffings and South Indian tempering.

Also called: split chickpeas, bengal gram dal, split desi chickpeas, kadalai paruppu, cholar dal

Around the world: चना दाल (hi)

A kind of lentils

23 recipes with it

Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Chana dal is small dark desi chickpeas (kala chana) with the skins removed and split in half. It looks like yellow split peas or toor dal but is larger, rounder-edged and firmer, with a sweet, nutty taste. It holds its shape better than most dals and is ground into besan. Fried in oil, it adds crunch to South Indian tempering.

Cicer arietinum

How it’s used

  • Simmered into chana dal with lauki or as Bengali cholar dal
  • Fried with mustard seeds and urad in tempering
  • Soaked and ground for vada and masala vada
  • Cooked into sweet puran poli filling

Characteristics

Taste
Sweet and nutty.
Texture
Firm, holding its shape unless cooked long.
When cooked
Soak for an hour or two to speed cooking.
Sold as
dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling, Used for tempering (tadka), Suitable for frying

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Store airtight in a cool, dry place.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Cool cooked legumes quickly and refrigerate; reheat until piping hot and use within a few days.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
378 kcal
Protein
20.47 g
Carbohydrate
62.95 g
Fat
6.04 g
Fibre
12.2 g
Sugars
10.7 g

USDA FoodData Central: Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, raw (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with chana dal (split bengal gram)

See all 23

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