Soak channa dal for 2 to 3 hours. Drain it. Add this to a blender and make into a coarse puree. Don't make it into a fine paste. You should have whole dal here and there.Take it in a bowl.
Grind ginger, garlic and fennel seeds to a rough paste without adding water. Add this to the same dal puree.
Add in sooji and salt and mix well.
Now add in onions, chilli and curry leaves in this and mix well.