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Lakshmi's Cookbook Videos

Chanar Dalna

Chanar Dalna!

Chanar Dalna is a Bengali cottage cheese and potato curry. It is traditionally made with homemade channa, but I used the paneer packet lying at home 😅 We fry the paneer and potato until golden brown, which adds a different taste to it. We also use freshly ground Bengali garam masala (recipe given) which makes it more flavorful and better! This is a no onion and no garlic dish. I have adapted this recipe from here. Serve this delicious chanar dalna with roti or rice and enjoy!




Preparation time: 10 minutes| Cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes
Course: Main| Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:

Paneer- 200gms

Potatoes- 3

Tomatoes- 2

Ginger- 2inch piece

Cumin powder- ½ tsp

Red chili powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- ½ tsp

Salt- as needed

Sugar- 1 tsp

Coconut milk- 1 cup

Oil- 3 tblsp

Cumin seeds- ½ tsp

Dry red chili- 1 tsp

Bay leaf- 2

Ghee- ½ tsp

For Bengali garam masala: (grind all the ingredients given below into fine powder to make Bengali garam masala)

Cinnamon- 2 inch

Cloves- 4

Green cardamom- 2

 

Method:

1.      Cut the paneer into cubes and keep aside. Wash and clean the potatoes and peel the skin. Make cubes and keep ready.

2.      Make a paste of ginger and cumin powder. Keep aside.

3.       Mix red chili powder and turmeric powder, with a little water and make a paste.

4.      Now add ½ tsp oil to a tawa, add the paneer cubes and fry till golden brown. Remove from oil and keep aside.

5.      Now heat the remaining oil in a kadai. Add the potato cubes and fry till it turns golden brown. Remove form oil and keep aside.

6.      To the same oil, add cumin seeds, dried red chilies and bay leaves.

7.      Add chopped tomatoes and fry on low flame, till it mashes well.

8.      Now add the ginger cumin paste and turmeric-red chili paste to this and fry till the raw smell goes away.

9.      Then add salt and sugar and fry well, until the oil seperates.

10.   Now add 2 cups of water, 1 cup of coconut milk, fried potatoes and paneer to the kadai. Mix everything well.

11.   Cover with a lid and cook on low flame for 10 minutes.

12.   Finally add ghee and Bengali garam masala. Mix well and switch off flame.

13.   Serve this chanar dalna with rice or roti.

Notes:

·        The authentic recipe is made with chana (home made paneer). I chose to go with readymade paneer, as I wanted to use the paneer lying in my refrigerator.

Step by step pictures

add a little oil to a tawa.
add paneer cubes and fry till golden colour
fried paneer is ready. 
heat oil in a kadai. add the 
potato cubes and fry till golden colour.
remove and keep aside.
to the same oil, add cumin seeds, 
red chilies and bay leaves.
add the chopped tomatoes
 and fry till it mashes well
add ginger cumin paste and 
turmeric red chili powder paste.
fry well until raw smell goes away
add salt and sugar
mix well
add fried potatoes and paneer.
also add 2 cups of water and 
1 cup of coconut milk. cover and cook 
on low flame for 10 minutes.

finally add Bengali garam masala and ghee.
mix well and switch off flame. 
serve this chanar dalna with rice or roti. 




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