Cholar Dal

Cholar Dal

Cholar Dal

Veg

Festive chana dal cooked with coconut slivers, raisins, and a perfume of ghee and cardamom — the Bengali Durga Puja and wedding dal, inseparable from luchi.

Cuisines

Bengali

Best for

Breakfast Lunch

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 30 min Total: 45 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

chana dal 1 cup Chana dal
water 3 cups Water
ghee 1 tablespoon Ghee
Cumin 1 teaspoon Cumin , seeds
Bay Leaf 2 Bay Leaf
cardamom 4 Cardamom , green pods
Clove 4 Clove
cinnamon stick 1 inch Cinnamon stick
Ginger 1 teaspoon Ginger , paste
turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
red chili powder 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
sugar 1 tablespoon Sugar
salt 1 teaspoon Salt
Coconut 2 tablespoons Coconut , pieces
Raisin 2 tablespoons Raisin
Cashew 2 tablespoons Cashew , nuts
Green Chili 2 Green Chili , slit
Cilantro 1 tablespoon Cilantro , chopped

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the chana dal thoroughly and soak it in water for 30 minutes.
  2. 2 Drain the dal and add it to a pressure cooker with 3 cups of water.
  3. 3 Pressure cook the dal for 3-4 whistles until it is soft but not mushy.
  4. 4 Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.
  5. 5 Once the spices release their aroma, add ginger paste and sauté for a minute.
  6. 6 Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and sugar. Stir well.
  7. 7 Add cooked dal to the pan and mix well. Add salt to taste.
  8. 8 Add coconut pieces, raisins, cashew nuts, and green chilies. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
  9. 9 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For a richer taste, you can add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) while tempering the spices.