Cleansing Chana Dal Stew (Vedic)

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. 

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!

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! 

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!

Cleansing Chana Dal Stew (Serves 3-4)
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):

1. 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.
2. In a heavy sauce pot (or large pot) over high heat, add coconut oil.  
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. If adding cilantro and lemon, add just before serving the soup so the cilantro and lemon stay fresh and vibrant!

Directions (crock pot):
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.