Chholar dal

4 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Chick peas, soaked
¼ teaspoon Turmeric
1 each Green chile
½ teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Cumin, ground
2 tablespoons Raisins
1½ tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 each Bay leaf
1 each Dried red chile
5 eaches Cardamom pods
1 each 2\" cinnamon stick
2 eaches Cloves
¼ teaspoon Kalonji seeds
1 tablespoon Green chile, seeded & minced
2 tablespoons Coconut, shredded
¼ teaspoon Garam masala
Ghee, optional

Directions

Cook chickpeas in water with turmeric & whole chile for about 1 hour or until they are very tender. Discard whole chiles. Add salt & cumin & remove from heat.

Puree one cup of the dal mixture in a blender, adding a little water if necessary. Return to the pan, add raisins & bring back to a simmer. Keep warm.

Heat oil in a small skillet. Fry bay leaf & red chile until the chile darkens. Fry cardamom, cinnamon & cloves for 5 seconds. Add kalonji & fry a few seconds longer. Turn heat to low & add minced chile & coconut. Cook for a few seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat & pour over the dal. Simmer a couple more minutes & remove from heat. Garnish with lemon wedges, sprinkle with cilantro & ghee & serve.

Bharti Kirchner, "The Healthy Cuisine of India: Recipes from the Bengal Region"

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