Sweet and Savory Gujarati Dal Pakwan Breakfast

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-13 · Updated 2026-06-13

A traditional Gujarati breakfast featuring crispy fried flatbreads paired with a sweet and spicy chana dal stew seasoned with cardamom and jaggery. This Indian-inspired recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 90 minutes, combines all-purpose flour, semolina (rava), oil into a breakfast that fuels the morning without the midday crash — make-ahead-friendly and balanced enough to anchor the first meal of the day. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it sits comfortably in a weekly breakfast rotation alongside fruit, yogurt, or coffee. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp semolina (rava)
• 2 tbsp plus for deep frying oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup chana dal (split chickpeas)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp ginger-green chili paste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2, crushed green cardamom pods
• 2 tbsp jaggery, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
• for serving lemon wedges

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp semolina, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp oil in a bowl. Gradually add water and knead into a firm dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Step 2: Rinse 3/4 cup chana dal and soak for 1 hour. Drain and pressure cook with 3 cups water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ginger-green chili paste, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, and 2 crushed green cardamom pods for 3 whistles until soft.
3. Step 3: Mash the cooked dal slightly, add 2 tbsp grated jaggery, and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes until the dal thickens slightly and flavors meld.
4. Step 4: Divide the dough into small balls and roll each into thin circles about 5 inches in diameter.
5. Step 5: Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Fry each rolled dough piece until puffed and golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
6. Step 6: Serve the hot dal pakwan by placing the crisp fried flatbreads alongside a bowl of the sweet and spiced chana dal. Garnish the dal with 2 tbsp chopped coriander and offer lemon wedges for squeezing.