Photo: Gannu03 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Westbengal · Breakfast

Cholar Dal

Traditional 3. Cholar Dal recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• 1 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram), rinsed
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 cups water
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 2-3 dry red chillies, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick (1-inch)
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 50g dried coconut, grated
• 30g raisins (kishmish)
• 1 tbsp jaggery or sugar
• Salt to taste

👩‍🍳 How to make Cholar Dal

1. Rinse dal (2 mins, cold water): Swish 3-4 times until water runs clear. Remove stones.
2. Boil with turmeric (20 mins, high): Add 3 cups water, 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt. Bring to rolling boil. Reduce to medium, simmer 18-20 mins until soft but grains hold shape. Dal should not become mushy paste.
3. Toast coconut (3 mins, medium): Heat 1 tbsp ghee in separate pan. Add grated coconut, toast until golden (smell becomes sweet, color turns light brown). Remove to plate.
4. Temper ghee (2 mins, high): Heat remaining 2 tbsp ghee until smoking slightly. Add cumin seeds—they pop within 3 secs.
5. Add spices (30 secs, high): Pour asafoetida immediately. Add red chillies, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom. Whole spices should crackle and release aroma.
6. Toast dried fruit (2 mins, medium): Add coconut back, stir. Add raisins, they plump slightly from heat.
7. Combine dal and tempering (2 mins, medium): Pour tempering into cooked dal, stir gently. Dal should absorb flavored ghee.
8. Add sweetness (1 min, low): Dissolve jaggery in 2 tbsp warm water, pour into dal. Stir until no crystals visible.
9. Finish (2 mins, low): Simmer uncovered 2-3 mins. Consistency should be thick gravy, not soupy. Oil should glisten on surface.

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