Chana Dal
Chana dal is split, skinned baby chickpeas (Bengal gram) — nuttier and firmer-holding than the split lentils used in most other dals. It's simmered into a thick, hearty dal, ground into flour (besan) for pakora and other fried snacks, and used in sweets like puran poli. This guide covers how it's used and where to buy it near you.
We're adding more stores in this category. List your store to be featured.
Split, skinned baby chickpeas — sold dried in bags at Indian and Pakistani grocery stores, usually near other lentils and dals.
Ground from chana dal, used to make pakora batter, dhokla, and other fried and steamed snacks.
A roasted, ready-to-eat snack version, sometimes ground into a coarse powder used to thicken curries.
Toor dal, moong dal, and masoor dal are other common lentils sold alongside chana dal — each with a different texture and cooking time.
Chana dal holds its shape better than most other dals and takes longer to cook — usually soaked for at least an hour before simmering or pressure-cooking until tender but not mushy.
They look similar but aren't the same — chana dal comes from chickpeas and has a nuttier flavor, while yellow split peas are a different legume entirely.
Ground into besan for pakora and dhokla, used in snacks like chana dal namkeen, and cooked into sweets like puran poli and chana dal halwa.
Store dried chana dal in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry — it keeps well for a year or more when properly stored.
Indian and Pakistani grocery stores stock chana dal in the lentils and dals aisle, usually in 2-4 lb bags. See our Indian Grocery Stores Near Me directory to find one nearby.
No — chana dal is made from split, skinned baby chickpeas and has a nuttier flavor and firmer texture, while yellow split peas come from a different legume and cook to a softer consistency.
Chana dal takes longer than most other dals — typically 30-45 minutes simmered after soaking, or about 15-20 minutes in a pressure cooker.
Besan is chana dal ground into flour, used for pakora batter, dhokla, and other fried or steamed snacks — chana dal itself is the whole split legume, usually cooked as a dal.
Toor dal or yellow split peas can work in a pinch, but chana dal's firmer texture and nutty flavor are distinct — the dish will turn out differently.