This ছোলার ডাল or Niramish Cholar Dal recipe in Bengali Style is the ‘queen’ of Bengali vegetarian recipes. Chana Dal or Bengal Gram cooked with Bengali Gorom Moshla or whole spices, served with a final garnish of fried coconut bits or some fresh coriander leaves. Most commonly served with luchis or kochuris, this Chana Dal recipe is easy, quick, and simple.
Another thing about this Bengali chana dal recipe is that it can be paired with a variety of Indian bread and rice dishes. Best served with luchis or Bengali pooris, it also goes very well with koraishutir kochuris, porotas, and even roti or chapatti.
If you are in the mood for some rice, then you can go for Bengali Basanti Pulao or even something simple like Peas Pulao.
If you look closely at any Bengali vegetarian cookbook, you will quickly notice that most of the recipes are made without onion and garlic. Especially the fasting recipes are completely devoid of onion, garlic, and sometimes even red lentils or musur daal. These are called niramish! This niramish cholar dal recipe is quite popular among those who prefer no onion & garlic recipes.
Ingredients for Cholar Dal recipe in Bengali style
- Cholar Dal or Chana Dal or Bengal Gram
(buy the organic variety as they are tastier) - Whole Spices of Bengali Gorom Moshla such as Cinnamon, Green Cardamom & Cloves
- Bay Leaf
- Hing or Asafoetida
- Ginger – grated
- Ghee – alternate would be Mustard Oil
- Salt
- For garnish – fried bits of coconut or chopped fresh coriander leaves
Instructions to make niramish cholar dal
- Pressure cook the Chana dal or Bengal Gram with water enough to submerge the dal, salt, and a few drops of oil. It should take 10-15 minutes to whistle around 7-8 times on high heat, to cook properly. Then turn off the heat and let the pressure cooker cool down completely
- Now, take a pan and heat some ghee. Temper it with the hing, whole spices, grated ginger and bay leaves
- Add the chilies
- Now, pour the boiled dal into it and give it a mix
- Now, season it with some salt and add a tsp of sugar. Add the garam masala powder and allow it to simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- For garnish, you can toss a tablespoon of coconut chopped into bits in some ghee until they turn golden and add them to the dal. Or, a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves is equally good.
Serving suggestions
This daal recipe makes multiple appearances on a Bengali foodie’s plate. On a roadside stall, it is cooked with small pieces of potatoes and is served with Hinger Kochuri.
Often made as a traditional Bengali breakfast dish, it comes with Aloo’r Dum and phulko (fluffy) luchi. If you talk about Bengali niramish ranna (Bengali Vegetarian Recipes), this recipe steals every heart with every bit of it.
Though it is popular as a part of the breakfast menu, I often make this cholar dal recipe in Bengali style for my weekday dinner meals where I pair it with roti/chapatti, parantha, or luchi.
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This niramish cholar dal is a classic Bengali dal recipe using Chana Dal or Bengal Gram. Pair it with luchis for an authentic Bengali meal.
- 1/3 cup Chana Dal or Cholar Dal or Bengal Gram
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 tbsp Ghee Use Refined Oil for Vegan
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 4 Green Cardamoms
- 5-6 Cloves
- 1 tbsp Ginger Grated
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- Salt To Taste
- 2 Green Chilies Slit in halves
- A pinch of Hing or Asafoetida
Pressure cook the Chana dal or Bengal Gram with water, salt and a few drops of oil. It should take 10-15 minutes to whistle around 7-8 times on high heat, to cook properly. Once done, turn off the heat and allow it to cool on its own.
Now, take a pan and heat the ghee. Temper it with the hing, whole spices, grated ginger and bay leaves.
Add the chilies.
Now, pour the boiled dal in it. Add water if needed.
Now, season it with some salt and add a tsp of sugar. Add the garam masala powder and allow it to simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Before serving you may add some freshly chopped coriander leaves. But that is completely optional.
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