Cholar Dal — Bengali Chana Dal with Coconut and Raisins (No Oil)

Other Fast Without Oil Published June 13, 2026

Cholar dal is Bengal's festival lentil — split chana dal cooked until just tender, sweetened faintly with sugar and raisins, warmed with whole spices and a fistful of fried coconut chips. It is thicker and more luxurious than an everyday dal, the kind served at weddings and pujas, and it carries real heft: chana dal is one of the highest-protein, lowest-glycemic legumes there is. The interplay of sweet raisin, savory cumin and bay, and the chew of coconut makes it taste far richer than its short ingredient list suggests.

This version is built for strict no-oil days — the coconut is dry-toasted rather than fried, and the spices are bloomed in the dal's own liquid. On oil days, the authentic ghee is replaced with a teaspoon of coconut or vegetable oil for the tempering, and the coconut is fried golden. There is no fish version.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast Without Oil (oil tempering optional — see notes)
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup (200g) chana dal (split Bengal gram), rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/3 cup (30g) fresh coconut, cut into thin chips (or unsweetened coconut flakes)
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 dried red chilies
- 2 cardamom pods, 1 small cinnamon stick, 2 cloves
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt, to taste

METHOD

1. Cook the chana dal in 3 cups water with the turmeric until tender but still holding its shape — about 30 minutes, or 12 minutes in a pressure cooker. It should be soft, not mushy. Set aside in its liquid.

2. Dry-toast the coconut chips in a hot pan until golden at the edges, 2-3 minutes. Set aside. (Oil days: fry them in a teaspoon of hot oil instead, for the classic glossy finish.)

3. In the same pan, dry-toast the cumin seeds, bay leaves, dried chilies, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. (Oil days: bloom them in 1 teaspoon hot oil.)

4. Add the grated ginger and a ladle of the dal liquid to the spices, stirring to release the aroma without burning. Tip this into the pot of dal.

5. Add the raisins, sugar, ground cumin, ground coriander, and salt. Simmer 8-10 minutes until thick and glossy, stirring so it doesn't catch. Adjust water to a thick but spoonable consistency.

6. Stir in most of the toasted coconut, scatter the rest on top, and serve with rice or luchi-style flatbread.

NOTES

- Chana dal stays distinct and slightly firm when cooked right — that texture is the point. Don't cook it to a purée.
- On oil days, a proper ghee-and-whole-spice tarka is traditional; a teaspoon of coconut oil gives a similar richness and keeps it fasting-compliant.
- The faint sweetness is characteristic of Bengali cholar dal; reduce the sugar and raisins if you prefer it more savory.
- Soak the dal 30 minutes first to shorten cooking time and improve digestibility.