Pakistani Chana Dal (Split Chickpea Curry)

This Pakistani-style chana dal is what I turn to when I need a break from my meat-heavy dinner streak. It’s so delish you won’t even miss animal protein. No soaking required as the Instant Pot fast-tracks the cooking, and the result tastes as if it’s been simmering all afternoon.

Liquidy dals have a place in our cuisine and in my heart. Those I enjoy more with rice, but this recipe of mine belongs alongside hot naan or roti.

It’s buttery, with the soft bite of chana dal, slightly tangy, lifted by fresh mint and cilantro, all layered over a base of tomato and spice. It's a party for the palate!

The leftovers taste even better the next day, as the flavors get time to deepen and meld.

I’ve named it Pakistani Chana Dal because it's inspired by pakwan takeouts in Karachi. Also, because I add chicken cube and a small quantity of tikka masala. Those are additions you won’t often see in most other recipes for this otherwise vegetarian dish.

That said, skip the cube if you want to, it’ll still be really good.

Pre-cooking notes

• You can use chicken powder instead of a bouillon cube. Use one teaspoon for each cube.
• Green chilies can vary a lot in spice, so adjust the quantities as you see fit. I use Thai or bird’s eye chilies.
• Red or yellow onions both work fine. I’ve not noticed any real difference in taste.
• Use any store-bought tikka masala. I’ve tried a few like Shan and National, and they all work. You could even use seekh kabab masala.
• Don’t use pink salt; it can taste saltier than regular salt.
• I use unsalted butter. If yours is salted, reduce the salt quantity by a quarter of the total amount. You can always taste the finished dish and add more if needed.
• You can substitute lemon juice with lime juice, but use half the quantity, then adjust as needed.
• I always stick to Roma tomatoes for all my desi cooking. Some tomato varieties, like beefsteak, can be sweet and not have the acidity you need for the dish.

A visual guide for making my Pakistani chana dal

Here are photos of the key steps to guide you through the recipe. For a printable version with quantities and notes, see the recipe card below.

Add chana dal, water, ½ teaspoon salt, and chicken cube to the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on High for 15 minutes, allow natural release of pressure for 12 minutes, then do a quick-release. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a wide, non-stick pan/pot. Cook sliced onion until light golden. Add in ginger plus garlic pastes, sauté 1 minute. Add chopped green chili and cook 30 seconds more.

Then add tomatoes, cook until softened. Add cumin seeds, Kashmiri chili powder, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, tikka masala, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook 2 minutes.

Mix in cooked chana dal and all its liquid into the pan/pot. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes on low heat, or until the dal is cooked through. Add some water if needed.

Add chopped mint, cilantro/coriander, ginger, and butter. Mix, cover, and cook for 5 minutes on very low heat. Then turn off the heat. Add lemon juice and enjoy!

Serving ideas

As I was saying earlier, this dish pairs best with hot naan, or even roti/chapati. Rice is fine too, if you like it with thick dals, I don’t. Sliced onions tossed with a little salt and lemon juice taste great with it, you can also do kachumber. I’d avoid pickles, since they’ll compete with the dal’s flavors. Skip yogurt or raita, they can dilute the taste.

This recipe is a family favorite, and I hope it becomes a favorite in your home too. If you try it, drop a comment below and let me know what you think!

Happy cooking – Nelo