Chana dal paratha is made with a mildly spicy chana dal (split Bengal gram) stuffing inside a paratha made of a soft atta dough cooked with onions, green chillies, and a variety of spices. The stuffed paratha is then fried to perfection with oil or ghee. Follow my recipe to learn the steps to make Chana Dal Paratha at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Chana dal paratha is a popular and comforting stuffed paratha enjoyed across many regions of India as a hearty homemade meal.
- It is best served hot with curd, pickle, Dahi, or a simple dry vegetable curry.
- Chana dal paratha has a mildly spicy, earthy, and nutty taste.
- Other similar recipes are besan paratha, puran poli, and moong dal paratha.
The Ingredients:
To boil the chana dal for stuffing:
- 1 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
To make the paratha dough:
- 2.5 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp salt
- Water as required
To cook the chana dal stuffing:
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- ½ tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
- 1 pinch asafetida (hing)
- 1 piece onion (medium size, finely chopped)
- 2 pieces green chilies (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- Coriander leaves (a few, finely chopped)
To fry the chana dal paratha:
- Refined oil or ghee (clarified butter) as required
I learned this recipe during a casual chat with my neighbor one day about healthy breakfasts for kids. I wrote down the steps in my kitchen diary later the same day.
I made it the next day. The parathas were soft and crispy. My husband loved it, and my sons were overjoyed and wanted more. It made me feel truly lucky to have learned this recipe.
How to Make Chana Dal Paratha? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take 1 cup of chana dal (split Bengal gram) in a bowl, wash nicely, and put it in a pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water. Add 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp of turmeric powder (haldi), 1 tbsp of cooking oil, and cover the lid. Cook it for up to 1 whistle on high flame and then for 8 minutes over a low flame.
Step 2: Take 2.5 cups of whole wheat flour (atta) in a large bowl and add 2 tbsp of cooking oil and ½ tsp of salt to it. Mix nicely first and then gradually add water as required to make a soft dough. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes to set properly.
Step 3: Open the pressure cooker carefully and check the doneness of the dal. Mash it nicely. Keep it aside.
Step 4: Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil over a medium flame and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds (jeera), ½ tsp of fennel seeds (saunf), and a pinch of asafetida (hing) when hot. Stir and let them splatter.
Step 5: Now, add finely chopped pieces of one medium-sized onion and two green chilies to it and fry until the onions turn soft and translucent. Then add 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste and cook till the raw smell is gone. Then add 1 tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of roasted cumin powder, ½ tsp of garam masala powder, and ½ tsp of red chili powder. Cook for a few seconds.
Step 6: Add the mashed chana dal and mix nicely, adding salt if necessary. Finally, add a few finely chopped coriander leaves to the stuffing and mix nicely. Transfer it to a bowl and keep it aside to cool down.
Step 7: Make a dough ball and flatten it a bit. Put 2 tbsp of chana dal stuffing. Fold and seal the ends. Roll to make a large and relatively thick paratha.
Step 8: Grease a tawa with a little bit of refined oil or ghee (clarified butter) and put the paratha. Let it cook on one side and then flip it. Apply ghee or oil on the surface. Flip again, and apply oil on the other side. Remove the paratha onto a plate when it is cooked nicely on both sides.
Step 9: Your soft and healthy homemade chana dal paratha is now ready to enjoy. Serve it hot with any dry vegetable curry or dal.
Recipe Card
Chana Dal Paratha
Ingredients
To boil the chana dal for stuffing:
- 1 cup chana dal split Bengal gram
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
To make the paratha dough:
- 2.5 cups whole wheat flour atta
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp salt
- Water as required
To cook the chana dal stuffing:
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds jeera
- ½ tsp fennel seeds saunf
- 1 pinch asafetida hing
- 1 piece onion medium size, finely chopped
- 2 pieces green chilies finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- Coriander leaves a few, finely chopped
To fry the chana dal paratha:
- Refined oil or ghee clarified butter as required
Instructions
- Take 1 cup of chana dal (split Bengal gram) in a bowl, wash nicely and put it in a pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water. Add 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp of turmeric powder (haldi), 1 tbsp of cooking oil and cover the lid. Cook it for up to 1 whistle on high flame and then for 8 minutes over a low flame.
- Take 2.5 cups of whole wheat flour (atta) in a large bowl and add 2 tbsp of cooking oil and ½ tsp of salt to it. Mix nicely first and then gradually add water as required to make a soft dough. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes to set properly.
- Open the pressure cooker carefully and check the doneness of the dal. Mash it nicely. Keep it aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil over a medium flame and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds (jeera), ½ tsp of fennel seeds (saunf), and a pinch of asafetida (hing) when hot. Stir and let them splatter.
- Now, add finely chopped pieces of one medium-sized onion and two green chilies to it and fry until the onions turn soft and translucent. Then add 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell is gone. Then add 1 tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of roasted cumin powder, ½ tsp of garam masala powder, and ½ tsp of red chili powder. Cook for a few seconds.
- Add the mashed chana dal and mix nicely, adding salt if necessary. Finally add a few finely chopped coriander leaves to the stuffing and mix nicely. Transfer it to a bowl and keep aside to cool down.
- Make a dough ball and flatten it a bit. Put 2 tbsp of chana dal stuffing. Fold and seal the ends. Roll to make a large and relatively thick paratha.
- Grease a tawa with a little bit of refined oil or ghee (clarified butter) and put the paratha. Let it cook on one side and then flip it. Apply ghee or oil on the surface. Flip again, apply oil on the other side. Remove the paratha onto a plate when it is cooked nicely on both sides.
- Your soft and healthy homemade chana dal paratha is now ready to enjoy. Serve it hot with any dry vegetable curry or dal.
