Rinse 1 cup dry split chickpeas, add them to a bowl, and soak them in water for 1 hour.

STOVETOP METHOD: Drain and rinse them well, then add them to a pot with 5 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil on high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour or until tender.

INSTANT POT METHOD: Drain and rinse them well, then add them to your instant pot or pressure cooker with 3 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes, then quick release the steam. If they are not fully cooked, add ½ cup of water and cook on high pressure in increments of 5 minutes.

Chop 1 pound vine tomatoes into small dice. If you are using canned tomatoes, skip this step.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet, then add 1 large onion (chopped) and sauté for 4 minutes.

Add 3 cloves garlic (grated), 1 inch ginger (grated), ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1½ teaspoon ground coriander, ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and sauté 1 more minute until fragrant.

Add the chopped tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 twists of black pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes become puree. Stir often and add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water if the pan gets dry. Optionally, add a pinch of asafoetida and a 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves.

Add the cooked split chickpeas and their cooking liquid and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add 1 -2 cups vegetable broth or water to make a thinner, more soupy chana dal. Omit the vegetable broth if you would like a thicker Chana Dal.

Stir in 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional) and the juice of ½ lemon, then taste and adjust for salt before serving.

Make chana dal a meal by serving it with basmati rice, roti, chapati, or naan. Garnish with 1 handful fresh cilantro, a dollop of Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt, a quick pickled red onions or cabbage.