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Narkel Diye Cholar Dal | Bengali Cholar Dal Recipe

Published by:    Updated on: May 08, 2014

Gram Lentil with Coconut Chips – Narkel Diye Cholar Dal

This fresh yellow lentil gravy with coconut chips is a significant Bengali dish, which can be served as an accompaniment with rice or flatbread, luchi or puri, as well as across food courses from breakfast to dinner, from snacks to main course. It is an amazingly tasty dish.

I prefer unpolished locally produced grains rather than polished imported grains because imported grains may contain harmful preservatives or additives, and the quality of the ingredients after purification may have chemical residue.

One more thing about Bengali cooking technique: Bengalis would prefer to add a whole bowl of cooked lentil into the tempering pan called sombar সম্বরা, the condiment or phoron, slightly different from other Indian provinces where chaunk, tarka, bagar or thaalithal-style tempering is often fried separately and then poured into the lentil or curry.

Traditional Bengali cholar dal cooked with coconut chips and fragrant tempering

Preparation Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients

  • Unpolished yellow gram lentil or cholar dal – 1 cup
  • Water – 3 cups
  • Fresh coconut chips – 1 tablespoon
  • Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Slit green chilies – 2

For Tempering

  • Whole cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Bay leaves – 2
  • Cinnamon – 1 large piece
  • Green cardamom – 2
  • Dried whole red chili – 1
  • Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Clarified butter or vegetable oil – 2 teaspoons
  • Salt – to taste
  • Sugar – to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash and clean the yellow gram lentil and soak it in 1 cup fresh water for 30 minutes.
  2. Boil 2 cups water, add the soaked lentil, bring to a boil and let it simmer until soft but not mushy.
  3. Add salt, turmeric, red chili powder and 1 cracked bay leaf. Stir, cover with a lid, turn off the heat and let it stand for 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Take a deep pan and heat clarified butter or oil for tempering.
  5. Add cracked whole red chili, bay leaf, whole cumin, cinnamon and cracked cardamom one by one.
  6. Add coconut chips and ginger paste. Fry lightly without burning.
  7. Add the boiled lentil carefully and stir with a large ladle.
  8. Add salt and sugar to taste, and let it boil for 1 to 2 minutes.
  9. Turn off the heat. Add 1 teaspoon clarified butter and slit green chilies, cover with a lid and let it stand for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

You can add chopped coriander leaves and 1 teaspoon thick coconut milk on top for extra flavor and to garnish the dish.

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