Indian · Bengal · side

Cholar Dal (Bengal Gram with Coconut and Whole Spice)

Cholar Dal (Bengal Gram with Coconut and Whole Spice) reads warm spice 5.9, sweetness 5.3 and richness 4.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian · Bengal side, about 49 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 6.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Warm Spice 5.9 · Sweetness 5.3 · Richness 4.0 · Floral 3.9 · Salinity 3.6 · Fruity 3.3 · Nutty 3.0 · Allium 2.8 · Earthy 2.6 · Marine & Briny 2.6 · Umami 2.3 · Herbaceous 1.6 · Heat 1.6 · Bitterness 1.1 · Citrus 0.6

What's in it (17)

• chana dal — 200 g
• water — 750 g
• turmeric — 5 g
• salt — 7 g
• fresh cod — 40 g
• mustard oil — 41 g
• cumin seeds — 5 g
• dried red chillies — 10 g
• bay leaf — 1 g
• cardamom pods — 400 g
• cloves — 12 g
• cinnamon — 2 g
• ginger paste — 15 g
• sugar — 13 g
• garam masala — 3 g
• ghee — 14 g
• raisins — 20 g

Time & effort: about 49 min (48 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 179.9 kcal, 6.4 g protein, 6.5 g fat, 29 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (6 steps)

1. Boil the drained dal with the water, turmeric and salt for 30 to 35 minutes, skimming the froth, until the grains are tender but still separate. Cholar dal is never meant to collapse into a puree.
2. In a second pan heat the mustard oil to smoking, lower the heat and fry the coconut slivers for 60 to 90 seconds, until they are the colour of pale honey. Lift them out and keep them aside.
3. Into the same oil drop the cumin seeds, dried chillies, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Let them bloom for 30 to 40 seconds, until the cumin sizzles and the cinnamon perfumes the kitchen.
4. Stir in the ginger paste, the sugar and the raisins and cook 1 minute.
5. Pour this tempering into the dal along with most of the fried coconut, and simmer together 10 minutes so the flavours settle and the dal thickens slightly.
6. Finish with the ghee and the garam masala, scatter the reserved coconut on top and serve hot with luchi.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Wali wa Nazi (Coconut Rice) — Swahili Coast
• Kabul Party Rice — Indian
• Sujeonggwa (Cinnamon and Ginger Punch with Dried Persimmon) — Korean
• Pilau ya Nyama ya Mbuzi (Swahili Goat Pilau) — Swahili Coast
• Kelewele (Ginger and Cayenne Fried Plantain) — Ghanaian

Keep reading: what warm spice, sweetness, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.