SERVES 4
First, there is nothing Argentinian about this dish. I named it so because I made it for an Argentinian friend of mine. She was craving chana dal and ended up buying enough chana dal to last her a lifetime. So, I figured I should dedicate this recipe to her. Chana dal is high in fiber and is a rich source of protein for vegans and vegetarians. Also, if you are on a low carb or diabetic friendly diet, then this preparation will meet your needs. You can consume is it as is or with steamed basmati rice.
1 cup chana dal. Also known as Bengal gram or split chickpeas
3 cups of water
¼ tsp turmeric powder
3 tsp vegetable or olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 gloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato finely chopped. I used Roma tomato
1-in piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped.
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp dry mango powder
1 pinch of asafetida
1 tsp coriander powder
1½ tsp dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
1 tsp salt, adjust to taste
1 Rinse the chana dal and soak it in cold water for about 1 hour or in warm water for 30 minutes
2 After draining the chana dal, add it to a pressure cooker along with ¼ tsp of turmeric powder. Add 3 cups of water and stir well. Pressure cook the dal over medium-high heat till they are well-cooked, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the pressure release naturally. If you are not using a pressure cooker, cook it by simmering over medium-low heat till the dal is fully cooked, about 40 mins. Check periodically to ensure there is enough water for the dal to cook.
3 In a medium-sized pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and let them splutter for about 5-10 seconds. Add the garlic and sauté till they turn brown, about 15-20 seconds.
4 Add the onions and fry till they turn golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, ginger and green chili and sauté for about 1 minute.
5 Add remaining ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, asafetida, dry mango powder and coriander powder. Sauté till the tomatoes are cooked and release the oil, about 4-5 minutes. Add 1 tsp of dry fenugreek leaves and salt (adjust to taste) and mix well.
6 Add the chana dal from the pressure cooker along with the liquid to the onion-tomato spice mixture. Bring to simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about 6-8 minutes.
Garnish with the remaining crushed fenugreek leaves and serve with steamed basmati rice or Indian roti bread. You can also consume it as a hearty stew.
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