Niramish Cholar Dal
A no-onion, no-garlic Bengali classic, gently sweet with coconut, cashews and raisins — made for hot luchis.
Ingredients · tap to tick off
- Chana Dal – 1 cup
- Coconut – ¼ cup, chopped into small pieces
- Cashews – 10–12
- Raisins – 1 tbsp
- Ginger – 2 inch
- Green chillies – 2
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Hing – a pinch
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Cumin powder – ½ tsp
- Coriander powder – ½ tsp
- Sugar – to taste
- Ghee – 1 tsp
- Garam masala – ½ tsp
- Salt – to taste
Contains, from the ingredient list: Dairy, Tree nuts. Always check product labels and swap to suit your needs.
Method
Wash and boil chana dal until soft but not mushy.
Make a paste of ginger +green chillies; add turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, and a little water.
Heat mustard oil / Ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds, hing, and chopped coconut. Fry until the coconut turns light golden.
Add the prepared masala paste and sauté until fragrant.
Add boiled chana dal along with some cooking water. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes.
Add chopped cashews, raisins, and sugar. Adjust salt and cook until the dal reaches your preferred consistency.
Finish with ghee and garam masala.
Published 14 Oct 2026 · Antara’s kitchen notes
