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Bengali Cholar dal (Lentils cooked with coconut and whole garam masala spices)

May-02-2016
Antara Navin
30 minutes
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
3 People
Serves
Read Instructions Save For Later

ABOUT Bengali Cholar dal (Lentils cooked with coconut and whole garam masala spices) RECIPE

This is an authentic Bengali cuisine made on festive occasions like Durga Puja, weddings, etc. The Bengal gram or the Chana dal is first soaked, then baked and later tempered with whole garam masalas like cloves, cinnamon, cardamon and bay leaf and finally to add to the richness, coconut, cashews and raisins are added along with a tsp of ghee. Unlike other dals, the consistency of the cholar dal is slightly thick and is best enjoyed with luchis/puris( deep fried puffed tortillas).

Recipe Tags

  • Veg
  • Easy
  • Festive
  • West Bengal
  • Pressure Cook
  • Sauteeing
  • Accompaniment

Ingredients Serving: 3

  1. 1/2 cup Chana dal/Bengal gram
  2. 1 + 1/2 cup water
  3. 1 tsp turmeric powder
  4. 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
  5. 2 tablespoons sliced fresh coconut or 1 tbsp grated coconut
  6. 1 tsp raisins
  7. 1 tsp cashews
  8. Dash of hing or asafoetida
  9. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  10. 1 small bay leaf
  11. 1 inch cinnamon stick
  12. 2 cloves
  13. 3 cardamon pods
  14. 1 dry red chilli
  15. 1 tsp chopped/grated ginger
  16. 1 green chilli, slit vertically
  17. 1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
  18. 2 tsp ghee

Instructions

  1. Wash and soak the chana dal in water for 30 minutes.
  2. Drain the soaked dal and pressure cook it with little salt and turmeric and 1 cup of water. Let it cook till 4-5 whistles blow and then let the steam cool.
  3. Add ghee and oil in a pan. When the oil is slightly hot, add hing, cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Saute for 5 minutes on a low flame till the flavor and aroma of the whole spices becomes prominent.
  4. Add the ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Then add dry red chilli, green chilli, coconut, cashews and raisins. Saute on a low flame until the coconut turns slightly brown.
  5. Now add the cooked chana dal, rest of the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and add 1/2 cup of water. Cook on a medium heat till it starts simmering and thickens.
  6. Add 1/2 tsp sugar just before taking off the dal from the heat. Garnish it with chopped coriander and grated coconut.
  7. Sever it hot with luchis/puri/kachori or as a side dish along with rice.

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Sangita Dasgupta
Aug-17-2018
Sangita Dasgupta   Aug-17-2018

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