Unbelievably Smooth Chana Dal Hummus
Think of hummus as a smooth, creamy, dreamy hug for your veggies — and a delight for your palate.
The downside of hummus? It can be grainy and lumpy.
I’ve had — and made — both kinds. One left me longing for more, the other just left me hanging.
You see, I had the best ever hummus when I was in the Middle East. Ever since, I’ve been on a quest to make my homemade hummus velvety smooth, just like the hummus I had in Israel and Jordan.
There are lots of “secrets to perfect hummus” floating around, ranging from using the cooking liquid (aqua faba) to peeling the chickpeas.
Say what? Peeling chickpeas?
Ain’t nobody got time for that!
Enter The Humble Chana Dal
Chana dal is not a well-known legume in the States, but it is a variety of split chickpeas… that are already peeled.
Did you catch that? Let me tell you, I will never again use regular chickpeas for hummus.
Chana dal hummus forever, baby.
But wait, there’s more!
Chana dal is packed with protein with a generally slow impact on blood sugar, making it a good choice for those with blood sugar issues. I find it very filling and satisfying, and it doesn’t spike my blood sugar like many carb-y legumes do, but everybody is different!
If you’re diabetic, check your blood sugar after eating chana dal to see how your body handles these wonderful legumes. You just might find that they are very kind to your blood sugar!
How To Cook Chana Dal For Hummus
As with any dry legume, sort through your chana dal and remove any that are discolored. Rinse a few times, then cover with fresh, cool water and let soak for 8 to 12 hours. Before you go to bed or leave for work in the morning is a great time.
Drain and rinse the soaked chana dal, then put into a large pot or into your electric pressure cooker if you have one. It’s perfect for cooking legumes quickly! Just set your pressure cooker to “Manual” for 20 minutes and let it do the work for you.
No pressure cooker? No worries! An hour or so simmering on the stove with a watchful eye (they get very foamy and need to be skimmed in the beginning) will yield tender legumes ready for transformation into velvety smooth chana dal hummus.
After they have cooked to tender perfection, drain the chana dal, making sure to save the cooking liquid. Let them cool to at least warm before pureeing in your food processor or blender.
Unbelievably Smooth Chana Dal Hummus
Add the cooled chana dal and the rest of the ingredients to your food processor bowl or blender jar. Pulse a few times to get it going, then puree until smooth and dreamy. If your blender has a tamper, you may need to use that to guide the ingredients toward the blades. If not, you may need to stop and scrape the sides of your blender a few times.
Many hummus variations call for tahini, but this recipe is entirely nut and seed free, making it a perfect choice for potlucks and parties. You never know who has food allergies!
I also only added 1 tablespoon of Wildly Organic Olive Oil to keep this in a lower fat range, feel free to add more if you like or drizzle some over the top before serving.
Serve this Chana Dal Hummus with fresh, vibrant veggies for a low-fat snack or lunch. If you’re a Trim Healthy Mama who’s looking for a hearty E (Energizing) snack, here you go!
Spread inside a fresh pita and stuff with your favorite pita fillings for a healthy vegetarian or vegan option.
Or just use a spoon. You’ll get no judgment from me, I promise!
Have you ever heard of chana dal? Would you like to try this unbelievably smooth chana dal hummus?
- 2cups dried chana dalsorted, rinsed, and soaked overnight
- 4cloves fresh garlic
- 2teaspoons ground cumin
- 2teaspoons whole coriander seedtoasted and ground
- 2 teaspoons Wildly Organic Himalayan Pink Saltor to taste
- 1/4cup lemon juicefresh or bottled
- 1/4cup reserved cooking liquid
- Pinch cayenne pepperor more to taste
- 1tablespoon Wildly Organic Olive Oiloptional, plus more for garnish if desired
- Sprinkle paprikaoptional, for garnish
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Rinse, sort, and soak chana dal for 8 to 12 hours in enough water to cover by 2 inches.
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Drain and rinse the soaked chana dal.
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Add soaked, drained, and rinsed chana dal, cover with enough fresh water to cover by 1 inch.
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Secure lid and set cooker to "manual" for 20 minutes.
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After cooking cycle is complete, allow pressure to release naturally before opening the lid.
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Add soaked, drained, and rinsed chana dal to a large stock pot and add enough fresh water to cover by 1 or 2 inches.
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Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes or until the chana dal is tender, adding additional water if needed, stirring occasionally.
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Keep a close eye on the chana dal after it begins simmering, skim off the foam that develops and discard.
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After the chana dal is cooked, strain and reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid.
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Allow to cool until at least warm, do not put hot chana dal in your food processor or blender.
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When the chana dal is cool, add to your food processor bowl or blender jar along with the garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of reserved cooking liquid, salt, and spices.
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Pulse a few times, then puree until smooth. Add more of the reserved cooking liquid if needed.
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Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, a drizzle of olive oil, and eat immediately or refrigerate for later.
This velvety smooth Chana Dal Hummus will firm up a tiny bit as it sets, but will still be unbelievably smooth!
Leave the olive oil out for a very low-fat hummus; add more if you'd like or drizzle on top before serving.
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