When I am in need of a simple, cleansing meal I always turn to chana dal soup. It is so balancing, satisfying, and heart warming. Many dal soups are thin and watery, but I like mine thicker, more like a stew. This recipe is fragrant, but not spicy, with a richly flavored broth of ginger, cumin, tomato, and turmeric that you can put together lickety-split! I usually serve this along with some Fragrant Cashew Rice and a Lite Lemon Dill Salad.
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Chana dal stew |
Chana dal are split baby garbanzo beans (chana is the sanskrit word for garbanzo bean and dal means "split"). Chana dal beans are quick cooking and have a lovely nutty taste and creamy consistency. The best part is that they are a complete protein!
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Chana dal, or dried, split baby garbanzo beans |
This stew is not only quick to put together, but it is also relatively cheap because it features a dried bean and two vegetables (zucchini and tomatoes) that tend to be cheaper than others or abundant in the garden. This recipe is ideal for pleasing a crowd because you can cook a large quantity in one pot and it is very filling!
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Chana dal size, with my hand for scale |
Another reason I love dal soups is that you can't "overcook" them; the longer it cooks the more delicious
and broken down it gets so you can leave this pot on the stove on low while you prepare
other dishes and not worry about it getting ruined. I will throw all these ingredients into a crock pot in the morning and then come home to a lovely soup. A win-win in my book!
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Ingredients:
3/4 cup chana dal
5 cups water (or 6 for a thinner soup)
1-2 medium zucchinis, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1-1 1/2 tblsp coconut oil
1-1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 inch (1 tblsp) fresh ginger, minced (or 1/2 tsp ginger powder)
1 tsp cumin seeds (or 2 tsp cumin powder)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp hing
Optional: Add chopped, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice!
Directions (stove top):
- Chop zucchini and tomato and place in a bowl, then measure the spices (not the salt) and mince the ginger and put them in a separate, small bowl ready for use.
- In a heavy sauce pot (or large pot) over high heat, add coconut oil.
- When oil is hot (test by throwing a cumin seed to see if it crackles and pops), add the ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric and hing and cook for 30 seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Add vegetables and salt and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring. The salt will draw water out of the vegetables which will add to the broth.
- Add water and chana dal, reduce to simmer (medium-low heat) and cook, covered, for 1 to 1.5 hours or until chana dal are cooked thoroughly.
- I like to smash the soup a bit with a potato masher, a little hand blender would work too, to add some creaminess and further break down the ingredients resembling a more traditional dal without having to cook it for hours.
- If adding cilantro and lemon, add just before serving the soup so the cilantro and lemon stay fresh and vibrant!
Add all the ingredients to a crock pot, stir, and set on low heat to cook for 8-10 hours if you are going to be gone all day, or high heat if you will be eating in 4 hours.
We had this last night and my "meat-loving" now vegan husband loved it. Mods: I cooked the chana dal first, using water and some veggie broth, throwing in a bay leaf as usual. Sauteed onion, garlic, and some carrot in another pan, using broth, then added veggies. Put this mixture into the chana dal with additional broth plus one can of fire-roasted tomatoes(without salt)with chilis and the pan-roasted spices. This dish fills the stomach and quenches hunger for a long time. The chana dal do not raise blood sugar, so we did not feel the urge to have a late night snack. The next day, I added cooked collard greens to extend what was left for another meal. The spices are just perfect; we like our food a bit hot hence the added chilis and possibly some cayenne.
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