CHOLAR DAL

Dal is part of daily meal in any region of India. Yes, the process of making is different in different states & regions. Today I’ve made chanadal in Bengali style, they called it Cholar Dal. Like Gujaratis, Bengalis are very passionate about their own traditional food. This Bengali style Cholar Dal is flavoured with ghee, coconut & whole spices. Except routine meal, cholar dal is served & offered in Durga Pooja Bhog too.

Ingredients:
1 cup split Bengal gram ( chana dal)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 dry red chillies
1 bay leaf
2 green cardamom
3 cloves
2 small stick cinnamon
Pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
8-10 kismis
8-10 slices coconut
2-3 green chillies
1 tbsp ginger ( grated or finely chopped)

Method:
1. Wash & soak dal for one hour.
2. Then add salt, turmeric powder & more water. Approximately ratio 1:3 , i.e. one cup dal ,3 cup water.
3. Pressure cook until the dal is cooked, take care that it should not over cook to mushy.
4. Now in a pan heat ghee & fry coconut slices till it becomes light brown. Remove them. In the same pan prepare temparing. Add cumin seeds & asafoetida. Once cumin seeds splutters, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, red chillies & bay leaf. Cook for a while & add green chillies & ginger too. Cook for a while again.
5. Now add this tempering to the cooked dal, add sugar, kismis & fried coconut slices.
6. Cook for 5-7 minutes on slow flame so all the flavours & aroma of tempering is infused in dal.
7. Serve hot with luchi, paratha or steamed rice.
Note:
1. If you wish, can add garam masala too.