Healthy

Cholar dal

Name: Cholar dal
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Time to cook

30 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Serves

A slightly sweet and fragrant dal preparation that is made with chana dal or split Bengal gram or split chickpeas.

Ingredients

Bengal Gram Lentil

0.5 cup

Water

1.25 cup

Raisins

0.5 tbsp

Cashew Nuts, Raw

0.5 tbsp

Turmeric

1 pinch

Cumin Powder

0.25 tsp

Red Chilli Powder

1 pinch

Bay Leaf

0.5 leaf

Cumin Seeds

1 pinch

Red Chilli Pepper

2 chilli

Asafoetida

1 pinch

Fresh Ginger

0.5 tsp

Fresh Coconut

1 tbsp

Pure Cow Ghee

1 tbsp

Cinnamon

0.5 tsp

Cloves

2 Clove

Cardamom

1 pod

Step-by-step instructions to cook

Prep

Pick, rinse, and soak the dal well.

Meanwhile take cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Crush the whole spices in a mortar-pestle, till they are powdered. Place the spice powder aside.

Once the dal is soaked, then drain all the water.

Add the soaked chana dal and turmeric powder to the pressure cooker.

Next, add water.

On a medium to high heat pressure cook the dal for 4 to 5 whistles. The grains should be separate but cooked thoroughly.

Once the pressure settles down naturally, then remove the lid. Add salt to the dal.

Cooking

Heat ghee or oil in a pan.

First add bay leaf (tej patta) and cumin seeds (jeera).

Next add grated ginger. Also add dried red chillies, and asafoetida (hing) along with the powdered whole spices. Fry till they become fragrant. This takes a few seconds.

Then pour this tempering into the dal. Mix well.

Stir and then add cumin powder and red chilli powder. Mix well. Simmer the dal for 1 to 2 minutes more. Switch off the heat. Cover with a lid and set aside.

In the same pan take ghee or oil. Add chopped or grated coconut. Fry till the coconut becomes light brown.

Add the fried coconut along with the ghee or oil to the dal. Mix well and serve.