Luchi Chola-r Dal / Puri & Chana Dal - the Bengali way

An essentially Bengali recipe mostly prepared to be eaten on days like Durga Ashtami at home. Finished with a generous garnish of fried Coconut pieces, desiccated Coconut and eaten with puffed Luchi (deep fried all purpose flour Pancakes). Bengali Chola-r Dal is a Dal which is supposed to have a generous amount of sweetness, hence do not faint when I mention about adding about 2 tsps of Sugar in the recipe :P Some days back I was blessed to taste a salty Chola-r Dal at a relative’s house, I can guarantee it tastes BAD. Hence please make this dish higher in sweetness and less salty.

Last weekend I was in a mood to explore various Lentil Soups. First I made the heavenly Roasted Yellow Lentil Soup or Bhaja Moog-er Dal on Friday night, Saturday morning I made this Chola-r Dal and Luchi for breakfast, we loved it so much that I made a fresh batch of Luchi  Sunday morning and had the same breakfast on both the days followed by Dal Fry on Sunday night for Dinner. A very Vegetarian weekend indeed thanks to unavoidable circumstances!

Here is what we will need to make Chola-r Dal or Chana Dal – the Bengali way:

Bengal Gram / Chola-r Dal / Chana Dal – 1 cup

Coconut – cut into small pieces like shown in the picture – ½ Cup

Desiccated Coconut – ½ Cup

Grated Ginger – 1 tsp

Whole Dry Red Chillies – 4

Sugar – 1.5 – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

Cumin Powder – 1 tsp

Mustard Oil – 1 tbsp

Ghee / Clarified Butter – 1 tbsp

Method:

• Wash and soak the Dal in water for 30 minutes.

• Drain the water and Pressure cook with 1 Cup of water for 2 whistles & the pressure go down on its own.
• In a Pan heat the Mustard Oil.
• Fry the Coconut pieces in this Oil till brown and fragrant. Keep aside.

• In the same Oil, sauté the grated Ginger.

• Add the Whole Dry Red Chillies & sauté for another minute.

• Add the already boiled Dal in and mix.

• Add Sugar, Salt, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder and Cumin Powder and mix thoroughly.

• Add desired quantity of water and bring it to boil.

• Let it simmer for a while, once desired consistency is reached, add the Ghee in, the Ghee will melt easily in the already boiling Dal. Mix.

• Garnish with the fried Coconut pieces and desiccated Coconut and serve with Luchi. :D