Narkel diye cholar dal aka cholar dal is a classic Bengali dal recipe which is crazily popular among Bengalis. It is slightly sweet and savoury in taste and overloaded with flavours. It is a pure niramish recipe, I mean no onion no garlic recipe which is perfect for Bengali vegetarian days and puja days. In this preparation, cholar dal aka split Bengal gram is boiled till al dente and then cooked with ginger paste, coconut, raisins and some specific spices. It is an asset of Bengali cuisine which is frequently prepared in every Bengali household, especially during Durga puja and winter season. This cholar dal recipe is mostly relished with luchi, karaishutir kochuri, radhaballavi and even plain rice along with jhuri aloo bhaja, begun bhaja etc.
Dal aka lentils are the most common staples and a superb protein source in the Indian diet. There are myriad dal recipes prepared every day in each house in India. Whether it’s lunch or dinner, a bowl of comforting dal is always there on the dining table. This Bengali dal recipe is one of them.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Cholar dal (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
What is Cholar dal?
Cholar dal is a quintessential Bengali dal recipe which is frequently prepared on special occasions and festive season. It is a scrumptious, comforting dal recipe which has got an amazing nutty flavour and is slightly sweet in taste. In this preparation, the Bengal gram is first washed and soaked in water for an hour and then cooked till al dente and not mushy. Then the boiled dal is cooked with ginger paste, roasted coconut, raisins, ghee, whole spices and some ground spices in mustard oil.
Narkel diye cholar dal is mostly prepared in a vegetarian way. Bengalis are scrupulous about vegetarian food and they split it into two different parts. One division is called satvik food where onion, garlic and even masoor dal are prohibited along with non-vegetarian items. In another division, normal vegetarian dishes are prepared using onion and garlic. Onion and garlic are considered rajasik food which produces heat in our body and inflames our passion and incomprehension. Cholar dal belongs to satvik food.
Whenever I talk about cholar dal, it always makes me feel nostalgic. As a bong, I have grown up eating this delicacy and have never gotten bored with it yet. I still remember how my mother used to prepare it on vegetarian days and puja days. She used to serve it mostly with fulko luchi for breakfast and we used to devour that with immense pleasure. I have learned this traditional Bengali food recipe from her.
Narkel diye cholar dal aka cholar dal is a very simple and easy recipe. It requires very limited ingredients which are easily available in any Bengali kitchen pantry. It is a pure Bengali delicacy and you will get the essence of Bengal in it. The best part of the recipe is that you don’t need to drop your tears for slicing onions. It could be a great option for no onion no garlic days.
Cholar dal ingredients
Cholar dal: The primary component of the recipe which provides body to the dal.
Ginger & green chillies: The addition of ginger enhances the flavour of the dal and green chillies add a heaty taste and refreshing flavour to the dish.
Mustard oil: Always use mustard oil to cook the recipe like any other traditional Bengali food. It enhances the taste and flavour of the dish.
Whole spices & hing: Add whole spices like bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick, and green cardamom, cumin seeds into the oil for tempering. Once the whole spices crackled, I added hing to the pan. These spices induce a nice aroma into the oil. So, try not to skip any of these whole spices.
Ground spices: Other than whole spices, I have used ground spices – turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, Bengali garam masala powder for the recipe. All the spices help to develop a nice flavour and taste in the dish.
Ghee aka clarified butter: It is another primary ingredient added at the final stage of cooking. The addition of ghee enhances the taste and flavour of the dish.
Sugar: It adds a mild sweetness to the dish and enhances the taste.
Coconut: It is one of the main ingredients of the recipe which provides a nutty flavour to the dal and gives a nice bite.
Raisins: The addition of raisins is completely optional. But it’s a real treat when the juicy raisins pop inside the mouth during the time of eating this delight.
Salt: The most important ingredient which adds saltiness to the dish.
Water: Water is used to cook the cholar dal and to adjust the final consistency of the dal.
Cholar dal with step-by-step photos and instructions has been provided in the ‘Instruction’ section of the recipe. I have included all the tips and tricks below. If you follow each step of my recipe precisely then you will get Bengali Chana dal with perfect flavour and consistency.
Tips to prepare perfect Cholar dal
- Boil the dal till al dente and not mushy for perfect consistency.
- Always use mustard oil to cook the Bengali dal recipe. It gives a better flavour and taste to the dish.
- Don’t skip the whole spices from the recipe. It induces a nice aroma into the oil.
- Don’t skip the Bengali garam masala powder and ghee from the recipe. It gives authentic Bengali flavour to the dish.
- The addition of roasted coconut uplifts the taste of the dal to another level. Please try to add it for better taste, texture and flavour.
- Cholar dal is slightly sweet in taste. Add a little bit of sugar to get the proper taste.
How to make Cholar dal?
To prepare the recipe, first, wash the cholar dal thoroughly with water until the water gets clear. Then soak it for 1 hour. After 1 hour, strain the water and wash the dal one more time. Transfer the dal into a cooker. Add water, salt and give a stir. Close the lid of the cooker and put it over medium flame. Cook it till 2 whistles and allow the pressure to release on its own. Cook the dal till al dente and not mushy.
Take a bowl and add ginger paste, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and some water into it. Make a paste of the spices and Keep it aside for later use.
Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add mustard oil to the pan and wait until the oil is hot. Generally, most of the traditional Bengali food is cooked in mustard oil. It gives an outstanding flavour to the dish.
Then add shredded or sliced coconut into the pan and fry it over medium flame till light golden brown in colour. Strain the coconut and keep it aside.
Add some more oil into the same pan if required and wait until the oil is hot. Temper the whole spices – bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds and dry red chillies and let them crackle. The amalgamation of these whole spices with mustard seeds creates an epic flavour which is the secret of many Bengali recipes.
Turn the flame low and then add hing aka asafoetida into the pan and give a quick stir.
Then add the masala paste, green chillies into the pan and give a stir. Cook it on low flame for another couple of minutes until the masala releases oil.
Now, add the cooked cholar dal, sugar, salt into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook over low flame for 10 minutes.
Add raisins, fried coconut into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook over low flame for 2-3 minutes.
At the final stage of cooking, add bengali garam masala powder (a ground spice mixture which contains equal portion of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves) and ghee (Clarified butter) to the pan. These spices complement the flavour of the dish very well.
Check the salt of the dal and add if required. Simmer the gravy for 10-15 more seconds and then switch off the flame.
Many Bengali veg recipes have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check a few of them like
Chanar Dalna
Aloo Posto
Shorshe Begun
Doi Potol
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
1 cup = 250 ml
To cook the dal
- 1½ cup Cholar dal aka Bengal gram
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3 cups Water
For the spice paste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for cholar dal
- 3-4 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 3 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
- 5 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 5-6 Cloves (Laung)
- 4 inches Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 1-2 dry red Chillies (sukhi Lal mirch)
- ½ teaspoon Bengali Garam masala powder
- ¼ teaspoon Hing aka asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Mustard Oil for cooking
Instructions:
- Wash 1½ cups of cholar dal thoroughly with water until the water gets clear. Then soak it for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, strain the water and wash the dal one more time.
- Transfer the dal into a cooker. Add 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and give a stir. Close the lid of the cooker and put it over medium flame. Cook it till 2 whistles and allow the pressure to release on its own. Cook the dal till al dente not mushy.
- Take a bowl and add ginger paste, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 2 tablespoons water into it. Make a paste of the spices and Keep it aside for later use.
- Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 1 tablespoon mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
- Add ¼ cup shredded or sliced coconut into the pan and fry it over medium flame till light golden brown in colour.
- Strain the coconut and keep it aside in a separate plate or bowl.
- Add some more oil into the same pan if required and wait until the oil is hot. Temper the whole spices – 3 bay leaves, 5-6 cloves, 5 cardamom, 4 inches cinnamon stick, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1-2 dry red chillies and let them crackle.
- Turn the flame low and then add ¼ teaspoon hing aka asafoetida into the pan and give a quick stir.
- Add the masala paste, 3-4 green chillies into the pan and give a stir. Cook it on low flame for another couple of minutes until the masala releases oil.
- Add the cooked cholar dal, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook over low flame for 10 minutes.
- Add 3 tablespoons raisins, fried coconut into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook over low flame for 2-3 minutes.
- At the final stage of cooking, add ¾ teaspoon bengali garam masala powder (a ground spice mixture which contains equal portion of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves) and 1 teaspoon ghee (clarified butter) to the pan. These spices complement the flavour of the dish very well.
- Check the salt of the dal and add if required. Simmer the gravy for 10-15 more seconds and then switch off the flame.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the cholar dal into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Serve hot or warm to enjoy the best taste. Relish the authentic Bengali recipe with luchi or plain Rice and enjoy your meal.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250 ml
To cook the dal
- 1½ cup Cholar dal aka Bengal gram
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3 cups Water
For the spice paste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for cholar dal
- 3-4 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 3 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
- 5 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 5-6 Cloves (Laung)
- 4 inches Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 1-2 dry red Chillies (sukhi Lal mirch)
- ½ teaspoon Bengali Garam masala powder
- ¼ teaspoon Hing aka asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Mustard Oil for cooking
Instructions
- Wash 1½ cups of cholar dal thoroughly with water until the water gets clear. Then soak it for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, strain the water and wash the dal one more time.
- Transfer the dal into a cooker. Add 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and give a stir. Close the lid of the cooker and put it over medium flame. Cook it till 2 whistles and allow the pressure to release on its own. Cook the dal till al dente not mushy.
- Take a bowl and add ginger paste, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 2 tablespoons water into it. Make a paste of the spices and Keep it aside for later use.
- Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 1 tablespoon mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
- Add ¼ cup shredded or sliced coconut into the pan and fry it over medium flame till light golden brown in colour.
- Strain the coconut and keep it aside in a separate plate or bowl.
- Add some more oil into the same pan if required and wait until the oil is hot. Temper the whole spices – 3 bay leaves, 5-6 cloves, 5 cardamom, 4 inches cinnamon stick, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1-2 dry red chillies and let them crackle.
- Turn the flame low and then add ¼ teaspoon hing aka asafoetida into the pan and give a quick stir.
- Add the masala paste, 3-4 green chillies into the pan and give a stir. Cook it on low flame for another couple of minutes until the masala releases oil.
- Add the cooked cholar dal, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook over low flame for 10 minutes.
- Add 3 tablespoons raisins, fried coconut into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook over low flame for 2-3 minutes.
- At the final stage of cooking, add ¾ teaspoon bengali garam masala powder (a ground spice mixture which contains equal portion of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves) and 1 teaspoon ghee (clarified butter) to the pan. These spices complement the flavour of the dish very well.
- Check the salt of the dal and add if required. Simmer the gravy for 10-15 more seconds and then switch off the flame.
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