Luchi Cholar Dal (Puri and Chana Dal)

Today, I bring yet another recipe that is very close to every Bengali’s heart. It’s luchi and cholar dal, a preferred breakfast recipe especially made during festivals and social gatherings.

If a Bengali wants to treat their guests with the best food experience, there has to be luchi and cholar dal on the menu. Although the deep fried bread or puri can be savoured with other popular accompaniments like aloo dum, mishti sooji (halwa), aloor torkari (aloo sabzi) and kosha mangsho (chicken curry), the combo with chana dal remains an all-time favourite for its mildness of taste.

The luchi of Bengal differs from the rest of India’s puri on a few levels (find out in the recipe below). Whereas, the chana dal too is made with very less spices, a complete contrast to how other communities prepare it. If you like Bengali cuisine or want to try for a change of taste, begin with this simple breakfast recipe.

Ingredients

For Puri

All purpose flour or wheat flour ( 3 cups)

Water to knead the dough

Sugar (2 tablespoons)

Refined oil (1 and half 2 cups)

Salt (1 teaspoon)

For Chana Dal

Split Bengal gram (2 cups)

Water (4 cups)

Cumin powder (1 tablespoon)

Turmeric powder (1 teaspoon)

Ginger paste (1 teaspoon)

Salt to taste

Sugar (2 heaped tablespoons)

Cumin seeds (1 teaspoon)

Dry red chilies (2 pieces)

Coconut thinly sliced and chopped - optional (2 tablespoons)

Procedure

Chana Dal/Cholar Dal

1. Soak the chana dal overnight in lots of water.

2. Next day pressure cook the soaked dal with turmeric, salt, cumin powder and ginger paste up to 4 whistles or till it reached a mushy texture.

3. If you wish to use coconut in the dal, fry them till golden in refined oil and keep aside.

4. Open the pressure cooker and mash the dal finely with a masher for a thick and uniform consistency.

5. In a kadai, heat ghee or refined oil, add asafoetida, cumin seeds, dry red chilies and the fried coconut pieces. Add the dal and sugar. Adjust seasoning and water if needed. If you don’t like your dal to be sweet, skip or reduce the sugar.

6. Bring it to a boil. The dal is supposed to be on the thicker side and not runny. Thick dal is tastes better and is easier to scoop out with a puri. Turn off heat when it reaches the right consistency.   

  

Luchi/Puri

1. In maida or wheat flour, add salt, sugar and 2 tablespoons of refined oil. Mix the dry ingredients well. Add little water at a time to knead into a firm yet soft dough like you do for chapatis.

2. Make small balls (half the size of what you make for rotis/chapatis). Flatten them with few drops of refined oil and roll it out in small roundels.

Tip: If you are doing it without a help, roll out all the puris before you start frying them for safety and convenience.

3. Heat oil in a deep kadai and wait for it to be extremely hot (otherwise they won’t get puffed up). Drop them very carefully, one at a time. Slightly press and hold the puri in the hot oil for it to puff up. Now turn and fry the other side. Wait it reaches a golden brown colour. If you are using maida, the right colour to expect would be pale yellowish brown.

Serve this inviting breakfast to your family or guests with a sweet item like boondi, gulab jamun or payesh (rice pudding).

Have a great day! 😁