Bengali Chana Dal Or Chholar Dal

  Clean and soak the Chana Dal for 1 hour. After 1 hour put the dal in a pressure cooker add little Salt & Turmeric and boil till the seeds become soft but don't mushy. The dal should be whole not pureed.

  Now take a pan or kadai and heat Oil and Ghee together. When the Oil + Ghee is hot enough add the chopped coconut and fry till they become light golden brown. Put them out from the pan and place into a bowl.

  Now add Cinnamon, Cloves, Green Cardamom pods, Whole red chili & Bay Leaf and fry for few seconds. Add cumin seeds & hing and fry few seconds. In the mean time make a paste with Ginger + Turmeric + Cumin powder & little water and add into pan or kadai and fry till oil separates from the masala.

  When oil starts separating from the masala add the Boiled Dal and fried coconut into the pan and bring the dal to a nice boil for 15 minutes. The Dal will be thicken and now adjust Salt & Sugar to your taste.

  Usually Bengali like this dal little sweeter than any other dal. But you may use sugar as your taste.

  Serve with Luchi/Puri.