Chola'r Dal Bengali Style

Prep Time: 20 mins I Soaking Time: 20-25 mins I Cooking Time: 30 mins I Serve: 3-4

#dal #chola #bengali #recipe #timsistastytable

Chola'r Dal Recipe is a no onion no garlic, traditional Bengali Dish. It's a delicious lentil dish cooked with Bengal gram or chana dal flavoured with few simple ingredients like bay leaf, green chilies and golden fried dry coconut. Chola'r dal goes really well along with Bengali style puri known as Luchi or serve it with steamed rice and some aloo bhaja (fried potatoes) on the side for a comforting lunch.

Ingredients for Boiling Dal :-

1 cup/200 g - Chana Dal/Bengal Gram (washed, soaked for 20 mins in enough water & rinsed)

2 cups/450 ml Water

½ tsp. Turmeric Powder

½ tsp. Garam Masala Powder

Salt to taste

Ingredients for Tadka /Tempering 1 :-

3 tbsp. /45 ml Desi Ghee/Clarified Butter/Mustard Oil (divided)

½ cup Fresh Coconut (diced)

2 Bay Leaf

2-3 Green Chili (slit lengthwise)

½ tsp. Red Chili Powder OR (adjust to taste)

Ingredients for Tadka /Tempering 2 :-

1 tbsp. / 15 ml Desi Ghee / Clarified Butter

½ tsp. Cumin Seeds (whole)

2-3 Red Chilies (whole & dried)

10-15 Raisins

Method :-

To the bowl add dal and wash well with water at least 2-3 times. Soak dal in enough water for at least 20 mins. After 20 mins discard the water and rinse again

To the pressure cooker, add washed & soaked dal + water + salt + turmeric powder & garam masala powder. Mix well & pressure cook for 5-6 whistles on low-medium flame and switch off the gas

Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the pressure cooker and set aside

Heat 2 tbsp. of ghee/clarified butter/mustard oil in a deep pan/vessel, add chopped coconut and sauté for 3-4 mins on low-medium flame

To the pan add bay leaf and stir for 1-2 mins

Add green chilies to the pan/vessel and stir again for another 1-2 mins

Next add red chili powder + boiled dal along with its stock/water to the pan/vessel. Mix well. Cover it & let it simmer for 7-8 minutes on low-medium flame

Once the dal slightly thicken, Switch off the gas

Take a separate tempering/tadka pan and add 1 tbsp. of desi ghee. Next add cumin seeds /jeera to the pan. Once it starts spluttering then add whole & dried red chilies + raisins to the pan/kadai and stir for a minute on low flame. Once the raisins starts rising switch off the gas immediately

Next, pour this tempering over the dal. Mix well and serve hot.

Time to taste:)