Dal and Chapati Recipe
Indian · Main course · 60 min total
A comforting and nutritious Indian meal featuring spiced yellow lentils (dal) served with soft whole wheat flatbreads (chapati). This recipe simplifies the process for home cooks without sacrificing flavor.
20
min prep
min prep
40
min cook
min cook
4
servings
servings
420
kcal/serving
kcal/serving
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow split lentils (toor dal), rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 green chili, slit (optional)
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
- 3/4 cup warm water (for dough)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (for dough)
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee (for dough and cooking)
Instructions
- In a pot, combine rinsed lentils, 3 cups water, turmeric, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25-30 minutes until lentils are soft and mushy. Mash lightly with a spoon.
- While dal cooks, make chapati dough: In a bowl, mix whole wheat flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 2 tablespoons oil and warm water gradually, kneading into a soft, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 15-20 minutes.
- For tadka (tempering): Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and green chili; sauté until onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomato and red chili powder; cook until tomato softens, 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the tadka into the cooked dal and stir well. Simmer for 5 minutes, adjust salt and water consistency (dal should be thick but pourable). Stir in cilantro.
- Divide rested dough into 8 equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a thin circle (about 6 inches diameter).
- Heat a tawa or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each chapati for 30-45 seconds on one side until bubbles appear, then flip and cook until golden spots appear. Press edges gently with a spatula to help puff. Brush with ghee or oil if desired.
- Serve hot dal with warm chapatis.
Tips
- For extra richness, add a dollop of butter or ghee on top of the dal before serving.
- Leftover dal can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; thin with water when reheating.
- If chapatis become dry, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to keep soft.
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