Tomato Chana Dal | Chana Dal Tomato Curry | Thakkali Kadalai Paruppu Kulambu

Chana dal or kadalai paruppu (split bengal gram) is a lentil type that can be used to make tasty curries or dal, sides with vegetables, spice powders, snacks like paruppu vada, desserts like halwa, and are even used to temper certain recipes. Usually we tend to make dal or paruppu with either Toor dal (Thuvaram paruppu), but if you haven't tried with chana dal I insist you to try it soon as it tastes so good and makes a very delicious combo with rice, dosa idly or any roti kind. And coming to this tomato and chana dal combo it's my family's favorite; we love to accompany this simple dal with some papads or appalams and some sides like potato masala or cabbage poriyal (cabbage stir fry). This is my version of making dal and I make it quite often when my husband feels bored with the regular sambar and dal. The tomatoes gives a unique taste and makes dal more delicious infact makes it look more pleasing too.  As I have pureed the tomatoes you wont get any tomato pieces in your mouth  while eating, but you will definitely feel its flavor. Its such a comforting and healthy duo, try it sometime to get rid of the boredom with the routine dal. 

Click here for a tasty of chana dal / kadalai paruppu gravy

INGREDIENTS
Serves 2 to 3 people
Total Preparation Time - 20 minutes (apart from soaking dal)

1. Tomato - 2 (weighed nearly 200 grams) 
2. Chana dal / Bengal gram / Kadalai parupu - 1 cup (125 grams) 
3. Garlic pods - 4 or 5
4. Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
5. Coriander leaves - Few (chopped) 
6. Curry leaves - Few 
7. Cumin seeds - 1/2 spoon 
8. Salt - As per taste
9. Asafoetida - 2 pinches 
10. Oil - 3 spoons 

PREPARATION METHOD

• Soak chana dal (kadalai parupu) in water for an hour or 2. This step is optional, soaking helps reduce cooking time. 
• Wash tomatoes well in water and grind tomatoes into fine paste. 
• Now place a pressure cooker bottom on flame and add oil into it, after it heats up add asafoetida, cumin seeds and let it splutter. Then add curry leaves, crushed garlic and saute. (cook on low flame)
• Now add the prepared tomato paste and saute well until the raw smell leaves.
• Then when the tomato paste seems cooked add the soaked chana dal and pour 3.5 cups of water (use the same cup for measuring dal and water). Add coriander leaves, necessary salt and stir well. Tear red chillies and add into the dal mixture.
• Now close the pressure cooker with its lid and switch the flame to high mode. Wait until the pressure oozes out through the nozzle of the lid, then place the whistle or regulator and switch to low flame mode, pressure cook for 20 minutes. 
• Open the lid after the pressure drops down and check for the curry consistency, if the dal is too thick, then add some water and cook for 2 more mins on low flame. (If it has not got cooked still pour another cup of water and pressure cook for another 5 mins.)
• Remove from flame and serve. 

TIP 1: You can try the same with toor dal (thuvaram paruppu) also. But no soaking is needed and the time for pressure cooking is just 10 minutes. 

TIP 2: Soaking is optional, if soaked it softens the lentils and so reduces cooking time. 

TIP 3: Add 1 tsp of sambar powder to dal to make it more flavorful. 

TIP 4: Make sure that the tomato puree gets cooked well before you add dal if not you will get a raw smell even after cooking dal. 

Delicious tomato dal is now ready!! Serve with hot rice and some papads and enjoy!!