Bengali Style Chana Daal With Coconut Recipe
This Bengali Style Chana Daal with Coconut is a comforting and aromatic lentil dish featuring Bengal gram cooked with fragrant spices and enriched with dried coconut flakes. The slow simmering process allows the flavors to meld perfectly, while a spiced mustard seed tadka adds a punch of flavor and aroma. Ideal as a nutritious and hearty meal, this recipe brings authentic Bengali flavors to your table.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 6 hours soaking time)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes (excluding soaking time)
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Bengali/Indian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Lentils and Main Ingredients
- 200 g Channa daal (Bengal Gram)
- 700 ml Water
- 20 g Finely chopped Ginger
- 15 g Dried coconut flakes
- 1 Tej patta (Bay Leaf)
- 1 Black cardamom
- 1 Mace
- 1 Cassia Bark (Indian cinnamon)
- 4 Cloves
- 4 Black peppercorns
Spices and Seasonings
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp Coriander powder
- ¼ tsp Red chilli powder
- ½ tsp Asafoetida
Fats
- 1 tbsp Olive oil (Extra virgin)
Instructions
- Soaking the Lentils: Soak the channa daal overnight or for at least 6 hours to soften and prepare them for cooking.
- Rinsing: After soaking, rinse the lentils under running water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch and impurities, then drain.
- Start Cooking Lentils: Place the soaked and drained lentils into a pot along with the tej patta, black cardamom, mace, cassia bark, cloves, and black peppercorns. Add 700 ml of water and turn the heat to medium-high.
- Add Spices: Add finely chopped ginger, salt, and turmeric powder to the pot. Cover with a lid and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low simmer. Skim off the white foam that forms on the surface. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes until the lentils become tender.
- Crush Lentils: Use the back of a ladle to gently crush and mix the lentils partially, helping to thicken the consistency.
- Add Coconut Flakes: Stir in half of the dried coconut flakes and simmer for an additional 10 minutes to blend the flavors further.
- Prepare Tadka: While the daal simmers, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a separate small pan over medium heat.
- Tempering Spices: Add black mustard seeds to the hot oil and allow them to pop, being careful as they can splatter. Quickly add asafoetida, coriander powder, and red chilli powder. Remove the pan from heat immediately to prevent burning, swirl the mixture, and pour this tadka over the simmering daal.
Notes
- Soaking the lentils overnight greatly reduces cooking time and improves digestibility.
- Adjust the quantity of red chili powder according to your preferred spice level.
- Use dried coconut flakes for authentic texture, but fresh coconut can be substituted if unavailable.
- The tadka adds a significant flavor boost; do not skip this step.
- Removing the foam helps keep the daal clear and improves texture.
