Cholar Dal, a humble pride of Calcutta is an aromatic sweet-savoury blend of soft Bengal gram (chana dal) with a tempering (tadka) of whole garam masala spices and coconut. This mouthwatering Bengali Dal pairs wonderfully with chapatis, luchis, pooris, etc. Are you ready to make it and blow everyone's socks off?
All thanks to my dear bong friend who introduced me to the world of Bengali food. I may not be a fan of their seafood, but they have my vote for the best mutton recipes— Kosha Mangsho anyone?
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🥰Why You'll Love This Recipe
- easy to make, whether using a pressure cooker or an instant pot.
- not so much chopping work except for a small piece of ginger.
- a distinct sweet and savoury flavour that's both comforting and exotic.
- a versatile dish that pairs well with rice dish or Indian bread.
👭🏻My Bestie's Recipe
Bengal cuisine never fascinated me until I attended my best friend Rajasree’s wedding in Calcutta. That trip completely changed my outlook on Bengali food! I instantly fell in love with most of their dishes, except for the fish fried in mustard oil. If you haven't read it already, I also have her mutton recipe.
Before I bid adieu to Bangalore, I stayed with her for a few days, savouring all her signature dishes and even visiting Oh! Calcutta for an extra Bengali food fix 😜 She shared this Cholar Dal recipe that I have lost count of making!
🥘Ingredient Notes
Here's a list of all the ingredients you'll need to make this yum cholar dal. Gather these spices and pantry staples to create a delicious and aromatic dish.
- Lentil: You will need Split Bengal gram or chana dal.
- Ground spices: You will need turmeric powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder.
- Fat: For this dish, we will be using Ghee. For a traditional vegan option, you may use mustard oil.
- Whole spices: You will need bay leaf, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom and dried red chillies.
- Dried fruits: You will need cashews and golden raisins. Optional but Highly recommended.
- Produce: Freshly grated coconut or sliced coconut and fresh ginger.
- Sugar and salt
- Water
See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪How to make Cholar Dal
Cholar Dal is made with cooked split chickpeas poured into a freshly prepared tempering of whole spices and grated coconut. A richer version includes nuts and raisins. Traditionally, it's served with poori or rice. Its unique taste, balancing between savoury and sweet, is something we love. Remember Balaleet?
Let's dive briefly into how to make Cholar Dal in Bengali style. A detailed recipe is available at the end of this post as a Recipe Card.
- Pressure cook the soaked lentils with ground spices, salt and water. Let the pressure release on its own.
- Open, add water if it is too thick. Keep on low heat or saute mode to simmer gently. Get on to preparing the tadka.
- Heat ghee in a medium saucepot. Add all the tadka ingredients and fry them until golden and fragrant.
- Switch off the pressure cooker and pour the cooked dal over the tempering ingredients saucepot. Stir and keep covered. Serve your cholar dal warm!
🥘Serving Ideas
Cholar Dal, with its rich and aromatic flavours, pairs wonderfully with a variety of dishes. Here are some ideas for what to serve with Cholar Dal:
- Luchi: This is a classic pairing in Bengali cuisine. Luchi are deep-fried puffed bread that perfectly complements the creamy and flavorful dal.
- Methi Paratha: I make these often and so a tried and loved choice. These fenugreek leaves flatbreads add an extra layer of flavour.
- Onion Paratha: Another great flatbread option, onion paratha brings a slightly sweet and savoury taste that works well with Cholar Dal.
- Plain Rice: Simple steamed white rice is an excellent accompaniment to Cholar Dal, allowing the flavours of the dal to shine. But, wait until you try with Jeera rice!
💡Recipe Tips
- Don't forget to soak the chana dal for an hour. If you forget or are short of time, soak them in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and use in the recipe.
- For this recipe, the lentils need to hold their shape. The best practice is to add salt while pressure-cooking it. Add salt at the end for recipes where we want the lentils blended or mashed.
❄️Storage
Store any leftover cholar dal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave, adding a splash of water if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
🥣Equipment
- Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot
- Curry pot or Saucepot
In these Cholar Dal pictures, I've used a beautiful Bengali cotton saree that she gifted me. It's the only saree that travelled with me to the Middle East, and it truly is a beauty!
☝️Frequently Asked Questions
Cholar Dal is the Bengali name for Bengal Gram also referred to as Split Bengal Gram in English.
Chana dal is derived from chickpeas but is not the same. It is made from split and husked chickpeas, which are also known as Bengal gram. So while chana dal comes from chickpeas, it is a specific form of processed chickpeas.
Yes, you can prepare Cholar Dal ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze for two months. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a little water if needed to reach the desired consistency.
If you prefer not to use ghee, you can substitute it with mustard oil. However, I prefer ghee as it adds a unique flavour and richness that enhances the dish.
🍲More Delicious Dal Recipes to Try
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe Card
Cholar Dal
Ingredients
Pressure cook
- ¾ cup chana dal, soaked for at 1 to 2 hours
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
Prepare tadka
- 1 ½ tablespoons ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 3 to 4 cloves
- 2 to 3 green cardamom
- 2 to 3 dried red chillies
- 5 whole cashews, broken roughly
- 2 teaspoon golden raisins
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons grated coconut, or slices
Instructions
- Pressure cook the soaked and drained chana dal with all the ground spices, salt and water for 3 to 5 whistles. Switch off and let it cool on its own. If using Instant Pot, use little less water, pressure cook on high for 11 minutes, and naturally release the pressure or release after 10 minutes. We want the lentils to be perfectly cooked with their shape intact and not turned to mush.¾ cup chana dal¼ teaspoon turmeric powder½ teaspoon cumin powder¼ teaspoon red chilli powder2 cups watersalt to taste
- Open the cooker and keep it on a low flame or saute mode while you prepare the tadka.
- In a medium saucepot, heat ghee on low to medium heat. Add all the whole spices, cashews, sliced or grated coconut and grated ginger. Saute and fry them until crispy, golden and aromatic. Lastly, add and saute the raisins and sugar.1 ½ tablespoons ghee1 bay leaf½ teaspoon fennel seeds1-inch cinnamon stick3 to 4 cloves2 to 3 green cardamom2 to 3 dried red chillies5 whole cashews2 teaspoon golden raisins1 teaspoon ginger2 tablespoons grated coconut½ teaspoon sugar
- Switch off the simmering dal, pour it over the tadka and stir immediately. Let the dal bubble and simmer until it reaches a semi-thick consistency. Switch off and keep covered for 2 minutes.
- Open, stir in a teaspoon of ghee and serve Cholar Dal hot with Indian bread like Luchi, puri or just some plain white boiled rice.
Nutrition Info
I love to leave you with a link to a great read to know more about Bengali Cuisine.
Famidha Ashraf says
If you love to try new ways to include chana dal, then you should try this simple recipe that is so unique in flavour!