Cholar Dal

Multigrain Vada with onions and Cholar Dal

The spice box and the sticker you see in the picture and some coffee that is being used right now in my kitchen lab are things Mridula got back for me when she returned from her honeymoon in Coorg.

I wanted to make something with all the spices in it so I thought what better option than making Cholar Dal. It turned out quite mild flavored with the use of whole spices but was fragrant.

I served it with Multigrain Vadas and rice.

Ingredients

1 cup Chana Dal soaked for 2 hrs
2 onion chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
2 Badi Elaichi
2 Choti Elaichi
1 Star anise
8-10 pepper corns
2 inch piece of cinnamon
3-4 cloves
1 green chili
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons oil

Heat Oil. Fry onions till caramelized. Now put in the whole spices and the powders. Add tomatoes and let them cook down to a sauce. Then add the soaked chana dal. Top up with water just to cover the dal and cook covered. Check if dal is cooked by pressing one grain between fingers. If it is cooked adjust the thickness with more water. Boil well for another 5 mins. Put off the heat. The Cholar Dal is ready to serve.