Chana dal vs Yellow split peas

Last Updated on June 11, 2021 by Sindhu

Let’s check how to differentiate Chana dal and Yellow split peas and learn about their culinary uses.

Chana dal and Yellow split peas both look very similar and it’s not easy to identify them especially when they are in unlabelled containers.

So let’s see what are the main differences between them.

Table of contents:

• Introduction
• How do differentiate chana dal and yellow split peas?
• Culinary uses & famous dishes
• Flavor profile
• Can they be substituted
• Health benefits
• Where to buy

1. Introduction

Chana dal comes from the plant Cicer arietinum, which is actually a type of Chickpea, but not exactly the one which we use for making Hummus.

The chickpeas which we use for making hummus or falafel are called Garbanzo bean or Kabuli chana. The outer layer is in light tan or beige color.

Whereas Whole Chana or Bengal gram is dark brown or green in color. When they are deskinned and split, we get chana dal.

Bengal gram is the Indian version of the chickpea and it is also known as Kala chana (Kala means black in Hindi, representing the dark brown outer layer).

Yellow split peas come from the plant Pisum sativum. They are also called Field peas.

The outer skin of dried peas is removed and then split to get the yellow split peas. This can be done either by hand or by machine and the pea is divided in the middle.

They are also known as Matar dal and whole yellow peas are called Vatana. Most of the time they are a cheaper and economic alternative to Chana dal.

2. How do Chana dal and Yellow split peas look

The whole yellow pea is spherical in shape. In contrast, the whole chana dal is not spherical in shape but has a pointed cone at one end similar to chickpeas.

The curved outer surface is smooth in the case of yellow split peas. Whereas Chana dal has a wrinkled or rippled surface on its curved side.

3. Culinary Uses and Famous Dishes

Chana dal:

It is widely used in Indian subcontinent recipes such as dal, daal, or dhal which is also called chana dal.

Chana dal holds its texture well when cooked compared to Yellow split peas.

Flour made from Bengal gram or chana dal is known as Besan, gram flour, Chane ka atta, or Chickpea flour.

It is used extensively in various dishes such as Bajji (Indian fritters), Kaman dhokla (Indian steamed chickpea flour cake).

Whereas Garbanzo beans/White chickpeas or Kabuli chana are used in the recipes such as Chole masala or Chana masala.

Yellow split peas:

Yellow Split peas are more widely used all over the world when compared to Chana dal.

Let’s check out some of the famous dishes made with yellow split peas:

• Ragada patties, Samosa Chaat, and a few other Indian chaat recipes.
• Split pea soup, which is quite popular in the Southern United States (mostly made with green split peas, but yellow split peas can also be used).
• Pease pudding from United Kingdom ( Can be made with either green or yellow split peas).
• Dal in various countries like Jamaica, Fiji, Guaya, Trinidad & Tobago, and South Africa.
• Fava from Greek cuisine.
• Koresh gheymeh and several kofta recipes in Iranian cuisine.
• Wan dou huang, a dessert from China.

4. Flavor profile of Chana dal and Yellow split peas

Chana dal has a more nutty and earthy flavor. That is the reason it pairs so well with Indian flavors.

Whereas Yellow split peas have a milder and bland flavor when compared to Chana dal.

The taste is also quite different once they are cooked. Because technically Chana dal is a legume and Yellow split pea is not.

5. Can they be substituted with each other

Yellow split peas get cooked much faster when compared to Chana dal.

So you can substitute Yellow split peas with Chana in recipes that require them in the puree or soup form.

But when a recipe calls for Chana dal to have texture in the end product, it is not advisable to substitute them with Yellow split peas as they will be quite mushy.

6. Health benefits

Chana dal has a Lower glycemic index when compared to Yellow split peas, because of its better carbs to fiber ratio.

In fact, it is one of the best food for Diabetic people which provides energy and protein without spiking blood glucose levels.

But they both have a lot of health benefits in common. Some of them include promoting gut health, helping in maintaining body weight, improving heart health by regulating cholesterol levels.

Whereas Yellow split peas have an edge when it come to nutrients such as magnesium, iron and vitamin B-6.

7. Where to buy

Buying Chana dal:

Indian grocery stores are the best place to buy Chana dal. You can get both split Chana dal and whole Chana or Kala chana.

You can also buy them online and also a few of the health food stores have them in the lentils and rice section.

Buying Yellow split peas:

You can easily get yellow split peas in any of the grocery stores, health food stores. In general, you can find them in the same aisle as rice or other beans.

Most of the Indian, Asian or Caribbean grocery stores also carry them.
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Chana dal vs Yellow split peas main takeaway

Chana dal comes from an Indian chickpea variety called Kala chana, which is a legume. Whereas Yellow split peas come from Whole yellow peas.

Yellow peas are spherical in shape with smooth surface, But Chana dal is in chickpea shape with wrinkled surface.