A Bengali household......A Sunday Morning.....What's for Breakfast?......enough of Potatoes!....then? A hearty meal of NARKOL DIYE CHOLAR DAL accompanied by "Luchi / Porota / Ruti" is too much of a Bengali thing. It is Bengal Gram / Chana Dal Curry with fried coconut pieces! For reasons unknown, childhood keeps on coming back these days. May be because I miss my parents, siblings, relatives......my native place..... in a whole. I miss largely my mother's cooking.....the amount of care and love she would show in selecting her daily menus and serving them before us. Love and Care are such things that flow from one generation to the other. What I got and learnt from my mother, I try to give it back to my family. I learnt from her that family is something to be taken utmost care of and be kept above our own interest. Okay, I do not have to go work, I understand it is not an easy task to balance home & job! In that case, there should be a system of the sharing the task, it restores peace! Sitting useless at home I do not wish to give big talks, but it gets clear who how much consider one's home important & loving!
This particular lentil curry goes best with "luchi, porota, ruti." You can also have it with steamed rice.
INGREDIENTS :
Chana Dal (Bengal Gram Lentil) : 100 gm.
Coconut (shredded or small cut) : 2-3tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : As per taste
Sugar : 1tsp
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds : 2 pinches
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Bay Leaf : 1
Dry Whole Red Chilli : 2
Green Chilli : 2
Oil (Mustard preferably) : 2 tbsp
METHOD :
Wash and soak the Chana dal for atleast 2-3 hours in hot water. You can pressure cook the dal with enough water upto 1whistle at the lowest heat. It is better to boil it in a heavy bottomed vessel & I did just this!
Cut the coconut into small pieces or you may shred also. Keep all the spices ready in hand. Slit the green chillies.
Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with cumin seeds, dry red chillies each halved and the bay leaf. Add in the coconut pieces and fry till light brown. Add the ginger paste. Stir for 2 minutes.
Add the cumin powder, salt and turmeric. Keep stirring till the oil separates from the spices.
Pour in the boiled dal. Pour in one coffee mug of water. Give a stir. Cover and let it boil for 5 minutes at medium heat.
Remove the cover. Add the slitted green chillies and sugar. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Switch of ,its done.
Enjoy it hot with luchi / poori / porota / parathas!
Chana Dal (Bengal Gram Lentil) : 100 gm.
Coconut (shredded or small cut) : 2-3tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : As per taste
Sugar : 1tsp
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds : 2 pinches
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Bay Leaf : 1
Dry Whole Red Chilli : 2
Green Chilli : 2
Oil (Mustard preferably) : 2 tbsp
Wash and soak the Chana dal for atleast 2-3 hours in hot water. You can pressure cook the dal with enough water upto 1whistle at the lowest heat. It is better to boil it in a heavy bottomed vessel & I did just this!
Cut the coconut into small pieces or you may shred also. Keep all the spices ready in hand. Slit the green chillies.
Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with cumin seeds, dry red chillies each halved and the bay leaf. Add in the coconut pieces and fry till light brown. Add the ginger paste. Stir for 2 minutes.
Add the cumin powder, salt and turmeric. Keep stirring till the oil separates from the spices.
Pour in the boiled dal. Pour in one coffee mug of water. Give a stir. Cover and let it boil for 5 minutes at medium heat.
Remove the cover. Add the slitted green chillies and sugar. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Switch of ,its done.
Enjoy it hot with luchi / poori / porota / parathas!
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