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Cholar dal
Chana dal with coconut
Bengali chana dal with coconut, raisins and whole spices in ghee (dal soaks 2 hours)
Cholar dal is the festive dal of Bengal, cooked for Durga Puja and weddings and always paired with luchi. Split bengal gram is simmered until soft but whole, then finished with a fragrant tempering of ghee, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, little fried coconut pieces and plump raisins. It is thick, mildly sweet and warmly spiced rather than hot. Serve with luchi, puri or steamed rice. Chef's tip: fry the coconut slivers until golden before anything else goes in the pan; they stay crisp-chewy and add a toasty sweetness to every spoonful.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dal
- 7 oz split bengal gram (chana dal)soaked for 2 hours
- 3 ¼ cups water
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
For the tempering
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 ¾ oz fresh coconutcut into small thin slivers
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick3 cm
- 3 green cardamom podslightly crushed
- 3 cloves
- 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing)
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 2 green chilliesslit
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drain 7 oz split bengal gram (chana dal) and put in a pan with 3 ¼ cups water and ½ tsp ground turmeric. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then simmer partly covered for 30–35 minutes (or pressure-cook for 2 whistles), until each grain is soft enough to crush between your fingers but still holds its shape. Mushy cholar dal is a mistake; it should look like separate grains in a thick sauce.
35 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a small pan over a medium heat. Fry 1 ¾ oz fresh coconut for 2–3 minutes until golden at the edges, then add 2 tbsp raisins for 20 seconds until they puff. Lift both out.
3 minStep 3: In the same ghee add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 bay leaves, 2 dried red chillies, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamom pods and 3 cloves. When the cumin darkens and the spices smell sweet (about 30 seconds), add 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing), 1 tsp ginger paste and 2 green chillies and stir for 30 seconds.
1 minStep 5: Sprinkle with ½ tsp Bengali garam masala (cardamom, cinnamon, clove), cover and rest for 5 minutes so the aroma soaks in. Serve hot with luchi or rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cholar dal take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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