Chhanar Dalna/Bengali style paneer curry

Channar dalna is quintessential vegetarian or rather sattvik (no onion no garlic) dish, in which luscious chhana or cottage cheese balls are cooked in a melange of tomatoes and spices.

It is almost a must in many Bengali homes organizing pujas or simply eating vegetarian. While channar dalna can also be made from paneer (either store bought or homemade), I prefer my channa homemade, seasoned as well as with some spices. Chhanar dalna goes best with basanti polao, vegetable fried rice or simple steamed rice and say some jhiri jhiri aloo bhaja and sabji die moong daal on the side.

Step by step instructions to prepare chhanar dalna

To the chhana add salt and 1/4 teaspoon of garam masala powder.

Now, mash the chhana properly with your palms to make a soft dough.

Shape the chhana to whatever shape you like. I have made them into balls.

Make a paste of the tomato and ginger and keep it aside.

Take a kadai and add oil to the kadai. once the oil is hot, gently drop the chhana balls in the hot oil. Fry the chhana balls on low medium flame till they turn golden brown to brown in color.

Fry the potatoes to light golden color and keep them aside.

Remove some oil from the kadai such that about 2 tablespoons of oil remain in the kadai. Heat the oil and temper the hot oil with bay leaves, whole cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and cloves.

As the oil turns aromatic, add the ginger and tomato paste to the kadai along with the green chilies.

Add salt, sugar, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder along with a splash of water.

As the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan, add hot water to the kadai.

Now, drop the potatoes and the green peas and let it simmer on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes. Then drop the fried chhana to the kadai and continue simmering for another 3-4 minutes.

Add ghee and garam masala to the kadai and turn off the flame.

Serve the chhanar dalna hot with steamed rice, basanti polao or fried rice.

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