Luchi with cholar dal is the breakfast of Bengali festivals: Durga Puja mornings, Saraswati Puja, weddings and lazy Sundays. Luchi differs from a north Indian puri in being made with maida instead of wheat flour, and it should puff up into a pale, almost white ball rather than turning golden.
Cholar dal is chana dal cooked until soft yet whole, then tempered in ghee with whole spices, bay leaves and slivers of fried coconut. A little sugar and a handful of raisins make it gently sweet, which is the Bengali style. Torn luchi scooping up thick, fragrant dal, perhaps with alur dom on the side, is a combination most Bengalis grow up waiting for.
At a glance
| Region | West Bengal |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Bengali |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Course | Breakfast |
| Prep time | 30 minutes |
| Cook time | 45 minutes |
| Total time | 75 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Mild |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | No |
| Key ingredients | maida / chana dal / coconut / ghee |
Ingredients
For the cholar dal
- 1 cup chana dal, soaked for 2 hours
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 3 cups water
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1/4 cup fresh coconut, cut into small cubes
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dry red chillies
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 green cardamoms
- 3 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- Salt to taste
For the luchi
- 2 cups maida (about 250 g)
- 2 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup water, approximately
- Oil for deep frying
Method
- Pressure cook the soaked chana dal with turmeric, salt and 3 cups water for 2 whistles on medium heat. The dal should be soft but each grain should hold its shape.
- Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the coconut cubes on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden. Remove and keep aside.
- In the same ghee add cumin, dry red chillies, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Once they crackle, add the ginger and fry for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the cooked dal, add sugar, raisins and the fried coconut. Simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon. Finish with garam masala.
- For the luchi, rub the ghee into the maida and salt until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add water a little at a time and knead to a smooth, firm dough. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
- Divide into 16 small balls. Smear each with a drop of oil and roll into a 10 cm circle of even thickness; do not dust with flour, which burns in the oil.
- Heat oil in a kadhai until a small piece of dough rises immediately. Slide in one luchi, press it gently with a slotted spoon, and it should puff within seconds. Flip after 10 seconds and remove while still pale. Fry all and serve hot with the dal.
Tips
- Uneven rolling stops luchis puffing – roll from the centre outwards with light pressure, turning the disc as you go.
- Do not overcook the chana dal; mushy dal loses the texture that makes cholar dal special.
- Keep the oil hot but not smoking; luchis should stay white, not brown.
Serve with
Alur dom or begun bhaja on the side, followed by a sandesh.