Description
Cholar Dal Recipe (Bengali Channa Dal) is a traditional Bengali Dal made with bengal split gram, ghee, coconut fry, cashews and raisins and is best paired with steamed rice or luchi.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 200 grams Chana dal (Bengal split gram dal washed and soaked 7-8 hours or over night)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tbsp Red chilly powder
- Water
For Tempering
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
- 1/4 cup Coconut pieces
- 6–7 Cashew (optional)
- 2–3 Dried red chilli
- 1 Bay leaves
- 1 inch Cinnamom
- 2–3 Green Cardamom
- 2–3 Cloves
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/3 tsp Hing
- 2–3 crushed green chillies
- 2 tbsp Raisins
- 2 tbsp Ghee
Equipments Used:
[equipments]Instructions
- In a pressure cooker add the soaked chana dal along with water and salt and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Your time may vary. The chana dal should be soft but not mushy. It should still retain the shape. The dal will be thick at this point. Take out keep aside
- Take a mini mixing bowl make a spice paste by mixing together the ginger paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder with 6 tbsp water. Also, slice the coconut and chop in small pieces and crush the green chillies.
- Meanwhile in a pan heat on medium add mustard oil and when it smokes fry the coconut pieces until golden brown. Take it out and keep aside.
- In the same pan add cashews fry till golden brown. Take out and keep aside.
- Now temper it with bay leaves, dried red chilli, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds and hing. Allow it to fry for 10 seconds.
- Add the spice slurry we made earlier to the pan. Fry on medium heat until the raw smell goes away of from the spices. Saute for 5 minutes. Add crushed green and saute. Then add raisins, and continue frying until you see oil separates from the sides.
- Add boiled dal and then add salt to taste. Combine well. Add hot water if need and mix well. Cook for 7 min till dal thickens.
- Add sugar, garam masala and ghee to it. At this point If serving with rice then make it thin
- If with luchi / paratha make it thick. Your choice 😊
- Add fried coconuts and cashews or after taking out garnish with fried cashews.
- Heat off cover and rest and then serve it hot with steamed rice or luchi of your choice. Enjoy 😊
Notes
- Soaking the channa dal 1 hour before makes the cooking process very fast.
- No cholar dal is complete without fried coconuts bits.
- If channa dal becomes thick after boiling you can add water later at the time of cooking.
- Add fried cashews for garnishing it adds a rich look to this dish.
- Do not forget to add 1 tbsp sugar to this dish depends on the quantity of channa dal you are using.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Calories: 377