Chholar Dal — Bengal Gram with Coconut
A thick, mildly sweet split Bengal gram dal enriched with fried coconut slivers and bay leaf, a festive companion to luchi and basanti pulao.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 230 kcal
Equipment
- •Pressure cooker
- •Kadai
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- fat
- 8 g
- carbs
- 30 g
- fibre
- 7 g
- protein
- 11 g
- calories
- 230 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pressure cook the soaked chana dal (split chickpeas) with turmeric and a little salt. Cook for about 4 whistles until soft but not mushy.
- 2
Heat oil in a kadai (deep pan). Fry the coconut slivers until golden and crisp, then remove and set aside.
- 3
In the same oil, sizzle the bay leaf, dried red chilli, and cumin seeds until fragrant.
- 4
Add the ginger paste and cook for a minute. Add the cooked dal along with its cooking water.
- 5
Simmer the dal for 10–15 minutes. Mash it lightly until it is thick and slightly coarse.
- 6
Stir in the sugar and adjust the salt. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.
- 7
Stir in a spoon of ghee (clarified butter) and most of the fried coconut. Save some coconut for garnish.
- 8
Top with the remaining fried coconut. Serve hot alongside luchi (puffed fried bread).
Chef's tips
Do not overcook the dal into a mush, as some whole grains should stay visible for texture. Fry the coconut separately and add it near the end to keep it crunchy.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh coconut → desiccated coconut, soaked briefly in water first
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water, stirring occasionally.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Mashing the dal completely smooth, which ruins its traditional slightly grainy texture.
- •Leaving out the sugar, which is essential for the dish's classic mild sweetness.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Chholar Dal — Bengal Gram with Coconut?
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