Split Bengal gram cooked until just tender and tempered with ghee, panch phoron, bay leaf and fresh coconut slivers — the festive version of cholar dal that adds fresh coconut and raisin making it the dal served at pujas, annaprashan ceremonies and alongside luchi.
Soak chana dal 30 minutes: Soak in water 30 minutes. Drain.
Pressure cook: Cook with 3 cups water and turmeric for 3 to 4 whistles. The chana dal should be cooked through but each lentil should retain its shape — unlike toor dal which is fully mashed, cholar dal is served with the lentils intact.
Do not mash: Open and gently stir — do not mash. Each grain should be separate and hold its form.
Heat ghee: Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan. Add panch phoron — all five seeds crackle. Add bay leaves, dried red chilli and asafoetida.
Add ginger: Add grated ginger. Cook 30 seconds.
Add coconut slivers: Add fresh coconut sliced into thin slivers — not grated. The slivers will cook in the ghee for 1 minute until lightly golden and fragrant.
Add raisins: Add raisins. They swell in the hot ghee for 20 seconds.
Add red chilli powder: Turn low. Add red chilli powder. Stir 15 seconds.
Pour tempering into dal: Pour the complete tempering into the cooked chana dal. Add sugar, salt and garam masala. Stir gently.
Simmer 3 minutes: Cook 3 minutes together. The dal should be flowing, fragrant and the coconut slivers and raisins visible throughout. Serve with luchi or steamed rice.
Note: Chholar Dal with coconut slivers is the festive dal of Bengal — served at pujas, religious ceremonies, annaprashan (first rice feeding), upanayana (sacred thread ceremony) and all significant family occasions. The fresh coconut slivers (not grated) retain a distinct texture in the dal and the raisins add occasional sweetness. The combination of panch phoron and ghee tempering with coconut is specifically Bengali and marks this as a celebration preparation rather than an everyday dal.