Soak the chana dal beans for at least 1 hour. Rinse and add to a pot along with the water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until the beans are tender and the liquid is almost absorbed.
While the dal is cooking, heat the oil over medium heat in a pan. Once hot, add the garlic and onion and saute for 2 - 3 minutes until the onion is almost translucent. Add the ginger and tomato and cook another minute. Finally, add all the spices and cook for one to two additional minutes, until the mixture is fragrant and golden brown.
Next, make the crepes. Add all ingredients into a high powered blender and blend on high until smooth. Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter onto a lightly greased pan and swirl with the back of a spoon until they are thin and round. Cook for 1 minute then flip and cook for another 30 seconds. Repeat until no batter remains.
Remove from dal from the heat and gently mash a few of the cooked beans (this will make it thick and creamy). Stir in the spice mixture as well as the cilantro.
Serve dal with crepes (and some white rice if you want!) and enjoy.