Chana Dal

Chana Dal is a bean grown in India that looks like yellow split peas. Many non-Indian stores will label yellow peas as Chana Dal. But unlike yellow peas, Chana Dal doesn’t go mooshy when boiled.

To be sure of what you are getting, you may be best to try looking in an Indian store.

Chana Dal is closely related to chickpeas. It has the same scientific family name as chickpeas, “Cicer arietinum”, but while chickpeas belong to the “kabuli” group, chana dal belongs to the “desi” group. “Desi” in Hindi means local or coming from the country (as in “India”) — they were always there.