Dal Paratha
Dal Paratha is a stuffed whole wheat flatbread filled with a seasoned mixture of cooked chana dal (bengal gram), onions, green chilies, and spices. The dough is prepared separately and combined with the smoky, spiced dal filling. The parathas are then roasted with ghee or oil, resulting in a flavorful bread with a soft yet sturdy texture from the filling and whole wheat crust.
Ingredients
For dough
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup water or more if required
- 1 to 2 teaspoons ghee or oil (optional)
- salt as required, (optional)
For dal stuffing
- 1 cup bengal gram (chana dal) - soaked overnight
- 2 cups water
- 1 onion - finely chopped, small to medium sized
- 1 to 2 green chili finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain) or a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur) or as required
- 1 to 2 teaspoon Coriander leaves chopped (optional, also known as cilantro leaves
Other ingredients
- ghee (clarified butter) or oil for roasting, as required
Instructions
Making dough
- In a mixing bowl first mix the flour with salt as required. Add the ghee and half cup water.
- First mix everything with your hands and then begin to knead the dough.
- Add the remaining ½ cup of water and continue to knead. The dough should become soft and pliable.
- If the dough becomes sticky then add some flour and if it looks dry and crumbly add some water. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Making dal stuffing
- Soak the chana dal/bengal gram overnight or for 3 to 4 hours (check notes)
- Add the soaked dal in pressure cooker with 2 cups of water.
- Pressure cook for 1 or 2 whistle (check notes)
- The chana dal should be cooked well and yet remain separate. They should not become mushy or pasty.
- Drain the dal in a strainer. Keep the dal in the strainer for 15-20 minutes so that all water gets drained off. There should be no water in the dal.
- If there is any moisture in the dal you won't be able to make the parathas.
- You can also very lightly squeeze the dal in your palms without mashing them if you don't have a strainer.
- Mix the drained chana dal with finely chopped onions, dry mango powder (amchur), garam masala powder, green chilies, asafoetida (hing) and salt
Rolling chana dal paratha
- Pinch a medium sized ball from the dough. First roll it well between your palms.
- Then on a dusted flour, roll it out to a small circle with a rolling pin.
- Now add the spiced chana dal mixture/filling in the center of the rolled out dough. Just make sure that you don't use too much stuffing, so that it does not come out while rolling the paratha. Also don't use less stuffing as then you will taste less of nutty chana dal stuffing and more of the paratha.
- Bring the edges together and join them in the center.
- Now by applying pressure with your fingers press the edges down and make a neat stuffed ball. Make sure there are no tears or cracks.
- In a lightly dusted rolling board or surface, roll the stuffed dough ball with a rolling pin (belan) gently.
- Make sure that the parathas do not break. Although some chana dal pieces might come out, which is fine.
- Dust with more flour if required. Roll it into a size of a normal roti or chapati.
Making dal paratha
- Put the rolled paratha on a tava or hot griddle. Keep the flame to medium-high or high.
- Fry the paratha with oil or ghee and turn it as needed whole roasting.
- Be liberal in using oil or ghee while frying the paratha as this make the parathas more crisp.
- Make sure that the edges are also fried well. You can also press the paratha edges with spatula so that they are cooked well.
- This way, fry both the sides of the paratha till you see some brown spots and it is fried well.
- Serve the chana dal paratha hot with curd (yogurt) or white butter or pickle. We usually have them with mango pickle.
- They can also be packed for lunch box or can be had for breakfast, brunch or as an evening snack. For best taste have them hot as they are made.
Notes
- Soak chana dal overnight for faster cooking; cook for one pressure cooker whistle if soaked overnight, or two if soaked for 3–4 hours.
- You can cook chana dal using stovetop pressure cooker, pot, or Instant Pot; ensure lentils remain separate and not mushy.
- Finely chop onions and green chilies to prevent tearing the paratha dough during rolling.
- Adjust green chili quantity for children or personal taste; other spices can be adjusted as well.
- Carom seeds (ajwain) can be added to the stuffing mixture for additional flavor.
- Sunflower oil, neutral oil, or ghee can be used for roasting the parathas.
- Moong dal can be used as an alternative to chana dal but avoid overcooking.
- This recipe can be easily scaled to serve more people.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 14 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 181
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 181kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 27g | 9% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 13mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 102mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 207mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 46IU | 1% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 2mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 1µg | |
| Calcium | 38mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 36µg | |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
| Magnesium | 55mg | 14% |
| Phosphorus | 133mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.