Cholar Dal Recipe: Bengali Chana Dal With Tej Patta

Quick answer: Cholar dal is a Bengali chana dal cooked soft but whole, then finished with a ghee tadka of tej patta, dried red chilli, cumin and a few whole spices, plus fried coconut and raisins. It takes about 40 minutes after soaking and tastes mildly sweet, nutty and fragrant, never fiery.

Also known as: cholar dal, chholar dal, Bengali chana dal or narkel diye cholar dal (chana dal with coconut). Its star aroma, tej patta, is called the Indian bay leaf in English.

In Bengali homes this dal is the classic partner for hot luchi on festive mornings and Sunday lunches. The secret is not a long spice list. It is a well-timed tadka where the bay leaves hit hot ghee first and perfume the whole pot.

What do you need for cholar dal?

This makes 4 servings.

• 1 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram), soaked 1 to 2 hours
• 2 to 3 cups water for boiling
• 1/2 tsp haldi powder and salt to taste
• 2 tbsp ghee (or mustard oil plus 1 tsp ghee at the end)
• 1/4 cup fresh coconut, cut into small pieces
• 2 whole tej patta (bay leaves)
• 2 sabut lal mirch (dried red chillies)
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• 1 small piece cinnamon, 2 green cardamom, 2 cloves
• 1 tsp grated ginger and 1 to 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 tbsp raisins
• 1 to 2 tsp sugar (traditional, adjust to taste)

How do you make cholar dal step by step?

1. Boil the dal. Drain the soaked dal and cook it with water, haldi and salt until soft but still holding its shape, about 3 whistles in a pressure cooker or 25 to 30 minutes in a pot. Do not mash it.
2. Fry the coconut. Heat the ghee and fry the coconut pieces on medium heat until golden. Lift them out and keep aside.
3. Start the tadka with tej patta. In the same ghee, add the bay leaves and dried red chillies. Let them sizzle for 10 to 15 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the whole spices. Add jeera, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and let the cumin crackle.
5. Add ginger and green chilli. Stir for 30 seconds, until the raw smell goes.
6. Combine. Pour in the boiled dal, add sugar, raisins and the fried coconut. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes, adding hot water if it gets too thick.
7. Finish. Turn off the heat, add a spoon of ghee and rest for 5 minutes so the bay leaf aroma settles in. Remove the leaves before serving.

What goes wrong, and how do you fix it?

These are rough home-kitchen guides, not strict rules.

Why does tej patta matter so much here?

Cholar dal is gently spiced, so the tadka carries most of the flavour. Whole bay leaves release a warm, slightly herbal fragrance into the hot ghee, which then coats every grain of dal. Use leaves that are whole and still smell fragrant when crushed. If you are unsure how to judge them, read our tej patta buying guide.

• Use 2 leaves for 4 servings; more can taste medicinal.
• Tear one leaf slightly to release more aroma.
• Indian tej patta is not the same as the European bay leaf. Here is the real difference.

For more ways to cook with it, see our guide on how to use tej patta in Indian cooking.

What do you serve with cholar dal?

• Luchi (Bengali puri) is the classic pairing.
• Plain steamed rice with a little ghee.
• Soft rotis or paratha for an everyday meal.
• Alongside aloo dum or a simple begun bhaja for a festive spread.

ODM whole spices are handpicked and packed with no artificial colours, no fillers and no preservatives, so the tadka smells the way it should.

FAQ

What is cholar dal in English?

Cholar dal is Bengali chana dal, made from split Bengal gram. It is cooked with coconut, raisins and a ghee tadka of bay leaf, dried red chilli and whole spices.

Can I make cholar dal without onion and garlic?

Yes. The traditional recipe uses no onion or garlic at all, which is why it is often made for pujas and festive meals.

Is cholar dal supposed to be sweet?

It is mildly sweet in Bengali homes, from a little sugar and the raisins. You can reduce or skip the sugar if you prefer a savoury dal.

For the fragrance that makes this dal special, try ODM Tej Patta (Bay Leaves) in your next tadka.