This chickpea dahl is a hearty dish featuring chickpeas simmered in curry spiced coconut milk and tomato sauce. An easy and flavorful dinner.
My current obsession with curry and curry adjacent foods continues. A few months ago I found myself with a bag of split chickpeas, so I decided to try my hand at chickpea dahl.
Dahl is a version of curry, usually made with dry beans. It has a similar rich, earthy flavor to curry and it's delightful. This recipe is for sure on my regular meal rotation - it's so flavorful!
Jump to:
What is Dahl?
Dahl (or dal) is an Indian dish made from dried lentils or other beans. It usually consists of a sauce made from curry spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and garam masala.
The dish is spicy, earthy, and warm. Usually served with rice or flatbread, dahl is a nutritious and hearty meal.
Why I love this recipe
- Dietary needs - this chickpea dahl is dairy-free, plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. It's also high in protein and fiber
- Really easy - boil the chickpeas, then cook quickly with curry spices. A one pot dish!
- Hearty, healthy dinner - chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, and coconut milk make this dish super hearty
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Dried Split Chickpeas: this is known as chana dahl. I purchases this in the Asian section of my grocery store. It could also be found at an Indian grocery store or online.
- Yellow Onion: you can also use a white or red onion if you want
- Garlic
- Fresh Ginger: I love adding fresh ginger because the flavor is much brighter than dried, but dried ginger can work too. Use about ¼ teaspoon of ground.
- Garam Masala: I don't typically add garam masala to my curry recipes, but the spicy, paprika flavor adds another layer to the dish. Since dal is usually less vegetable and meat heavy, I wanted the flavor of the sauce to shine
- Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander: curry spices
- Salt & Black Pepper
- Diced Tomatoes: tomatoes add a nice tang to the sauce and another texture to the dal
- Coconut Milk: This is the canned coconut milk, not the stuff you buy from a carton. The canned milk is much thicker and creamier. This is the key ingredient for the deliciously rich flavor of this dal.
- Cilantro: for garnish
- To serve: rice, pita or vegan naan
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Add the chickpeas to a pot. Cover completely with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 45-50 minutes, until soft. Drain.
Step 2. When the chickpeas are almost cooked, add the onion to a pot or sauté pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion is soft.
Step 3. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
Step 4. Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, and tomatoes to the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 5. Serve with a garnish of fresh cilantro, alongside rice and pita or vegan naan.
FAQ & Expert Tips
Dal is typically made with beans like chickpeas or lentils and is a saucier dish. Curry can be made with beans, but also usually features vegetables and meat.
Dal could be considered a type of curry. But not all curries are dal.
Store this dish in the fridge. It will last up to a week.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this simple yet flavorful meal. Help this food to nourish our bodies and keep us healthy. Amen.
Related Recipes
Tried this recipe?
Please leave a review in the comments section below and post on Instagram tagging me @elizabeths_table. You can also stay in touch with me on social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok or by subscribing to my newsletter.
📖 Recipe
Chickpea Dahl
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Dried Split Chickpeas known as Chana Dahl
- 1 Large Yellow Onion small diced
- 6 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 2" Piece Fresh Ginger grated (or ¼ teaspoon ground)
- 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Turmeric
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 14 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 13.5 Ounce Can Coconut Milk
- Cilantro, for garnish
- To serve: rice, pita or vegan naan
Instructions
- Add the chickpeas to a pot. Cover completely with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 45-50 minutes, until soft. Drain.
- When the chickpeas are almost cooked, add the onion to a pot or sauté pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion is soft.
- Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, and tomatoes to the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve with a garnish of fresh cilantro, alongside rice and pita or vegan naan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Scott
Not a bad recipe. Smells great, and with rice, it is a very filling meal that can provide leftovers for days. However, boiling the dry chickpeas for only 45 minutes is insufficient. Either the chickpeas need to be soaked (I'd suggest 6 hours) or boiled for more like 2 hours. Personally, I'd add some ghee or another fat to the mix on top of the coconut milk; since I had olive oil on hand, I used that once the dish was served, and it made for a lovely texture.
Elizabeth
Hi Scott, thanks for sharing your experience! I'm wondering what type of chickpeas you used? In this recipe I specifically call for Chana Dahl. If you didn't use that, then yes, I think the chickpeas would need significantly more time. If you did, would you be able to tell me the brand? I'd love to add more info to my recipe card about what brands work/the time they take.
Anthony
my sound like a daft question,is it ok to use tinned chickpeas ?
Elizabeth
Hi! Not a silly question. This recipe was intended for dried chickpeas that are specifically labeled as chana dahl. That said, you can totally use canned chickpeas. Skip step 1 and start with step 2. I would use maybe 3-4 cans. Let me know how it goes if you try!