How much cooking time?

35 min — 15 min prep, 20 min cooking.

Narkel Diye Cholar Dal (Bengali Chana Dal with Coconut)

Name: Narkel Diye Cholar Dal (Bengali Chana Dal with Coconut)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: West Bengal Indian
Ingredients: 3piece Cardamom; 1tbsp raisins; 0.5tbsp Ghee; 3piece bay leaf; 3piece green chillies; 0.5tbsp Mustard Oil; 1tsp Turmeric Powder; 1tsp sugar; 2tsp Ginger; salt; 2piece cinnamon stick; 2tbsp Dry Coconut; 1cup Chana Dal; 3piece dry red chillies; 2tsp Cumin Seeds

A classic Bengali festival dal — Bengal-gram (chana dal) pressure-cooked tender, then tempered in a ghee-mustard-oil blend with bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, dry red chilli, ginger, and green chillies, finished with golden-fried coconut chunks and raisins plus a touch of sugar (signature Bengali sweet-spicy profile). Served traditionally with luchi at Durga Puja, and with steamed rice and begun bhaja for weekday meals. About 285 kcal per serving.

Time 35 min · Serves 6 · 174 kcal · Bengal, West Bengal

Ingredients

Main

Cardamom — 3 piece (ground)
raisins — 1 tbsp (chopped)
Ghee — 0.5 tbsp (whole)
bay leaf — 3 piece (ground)
green chillies — 3 piece (chopped)
Mustard Oil — 0.5 tbsp (whole)
Turmeric Powder — 1 tsp (ground)
sugar — 1 tsp (whole)
Ginger — 2 tsp (grated)
salt (optional) (whole)
cinnamon stick — 2 piece (ground)
Dry Coconut — 2 tbsp (sliced)

Tempering

Chana Dal — 1 cup (whole)
dry red chillies — 3 piece (whole)
Cumin Seeds — 2 tsp (whole)

Method

To begin making Narkel Diye Cholar Dal, Soak the dal for 5 to 6 hours.Pressure cook the dal with a little salt and turmeric until just cooked, take care that the dal does not become too mushy.Heat a little oil in a heavy bottomed pan and shallow fry the coconut slices till a gorgeous golden.
Drain and set aside.Heat the ghee-oil mixture in a pot.
Throw in the crushed cinnamon and cardamom.
Once they release their aroma, add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, dry red chillies and allow to splutter.Add the grated ginger and green chillies, saute for a while and then gently pour the dal.Simmer the dal over low flame, occasionally stirring, for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Finish with fried coconuts and serve hot.Enjoy Narkel Diye Cholar Dal along with Steamed Rice and Begun Bhaja for a weekday meal.

Common questions

How many calories in one plate of Narkel Diye Cholar Dal (Bengali Chana Dal with Coconut)?: 174 kcal per plate.
How much cooking time?: 35 min — 15 min prep, 20 min cooking.

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