Question: are yellow split peas the same as chana dal?
Answer: Chana Dal is deskinned and split Bengal Gram or Kala Chana (not Kabuli Chana / Chickpeas / Garbanzo). Yellow split peas, a.k.a. Matar Dal, is deskinned and split mature peas (white skin, not green). One can visually make out the difference. The curved surface of Chana Dal has a few small flat surfaces.