Narkeli chholar daal in Bengali style

Narkel die chholar daal is a quintessential Bengali preparation which is mostly served with phulko Luchi. Luchi and chholar daal is a heavenly combination for a bong. However, chholar daal can also served along with roti, porotta, roomali roti or even rice. One can have chholar daal for breakfast, lunch as well as dinner. This is a vegetarian preparation which is also often prepared during pujas in Bengali homes.

The asafoetida, the cinnamon and cardamom and the ghee gives the dish that perfect combination of aroma, while the coconut, the cashew nuts and the raisins adds the required richness to the daal.

Course: Main course

Cuisine: Bengali(Indian)

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup chholar/chana daal
• 3-4 bay leaves
• ¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 2-3 whole red chilies
• 4-5 cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon broken into pieces
• ¼ teaspoon of asafoetida/hing
• 2 tablespoon of ghee
• 1 tablespoon of mustard oil
• 1 teaspoon of ginger grated
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of Bengali garam masala
• 6-8 cashew nuts split
• 1 heaped tablespoon of raisins washed, soaked and drained
• ¼ cup of coconuts chopped
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon of cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon of red chili powder

Directions

1. Wash and soak the chholar daal for 1 hour.
2. Pressure cook the chholar daal with salt added to it. Do not overcook the daal. The daal should not turn mushy.
3. In a kadhai add one tablespoon of ghee. Once the ghee is hot, fry the coconut, cashew nuts and raisins one by one. Keep them aside.
4. To the same kadhai add the mustard oil. Once the oil starts smoking add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, whole red chilies and asafoetida.
5. As the oil turns aromatic, add the grated ginger and saute for 30 seconds.
6. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and about 1/3 cup of water.
7. Continue cooking till you see oil leaving the sides of the pan.
8. As you see oil leaving the sides of the pan, add the cooked chholar daal to the kadai.
9. Adjust the salt and add the fried coconut, cashew nuts, raisins, sugar, Bengali garam masala and one tablespoon of ghee.
10. Continue cooking till you achieve the desired consistency.
11. Serve chholar dal with roti, phulko luchi, porotta or roomali roti.

Step by step instructions to prepare chholar daal

Wash and soak the chholar daal for 1 hour. Pressure cook the chholar daal with salt added to it. Do not overcook the daal. The daal should not turn mushy.

In a kadhai add one tablespoon of ghee. Once the ghee is hot, fry the coconut, cashew nuts and raisins one by one. Keep them aside.

To the same kadhai add the mustard oil. Once the oil starts smoking add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, whole red chilies and asafoetida.

As the oil turns aromatic, add the grated ginger and saute for 30 seconds.

Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and about 1/3 cup of water.

Continue cooking till you see oil leaving the sides of the pan. As you see oil leaving the sides of the pan, add the cooked chholar daal to the kadai.

Adjust the salt and add the fried coconut, cashew nuts, raisins, sugar, Bengali garam masala and one tablespoon of ghee.

Continue cooking till you achieve the desired consistency.

Serve chholar dal with roti, phulko luchi or roomali roti.