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Chanar Dalna

Food Wiki
Chanar dalna is a delightful curry crafted using fresh cottage cheese and potatoes. This recipe is free of both onions and garlic, and it's also known as "niramish chanar dalna."
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 302 kcal

Ingredients
  

For Frying Paneer And Potatoes

  • 3 tablespoons mustard oil
  • 1 large potato – chopped in small cubes or 175 grams potatoes
  • 200 grams paneer chopped in cubes

For Bengali Garam Masala

  • 2 inch cinnamon
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 green cardamoms

For Masala Paste

  • 2 teaspoons roughly chopped ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chopped green chili
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons water for grinding

For Chanar Dalna Gravy

  • 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 160 grams tomatoes or ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes
  • salt as required
  • ⅓ cup green peas – optional
  • ¾ to 1 cup water or add as required
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar or add as per taste
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons ghee (clarified butter)

Instructions
 

Preparation For Chanar Dalna

  • In a dry grinder or coffee grinder take 2 green cardamoms, 2 inch cinnamon and 4 cloves. If using cassia cinnamon then use 1 inch of it.
  • Grind to a fine powder. You can also crush these spices in a mortar-pestle. Remove the masala and keep aside.
  • In the same grinder add 2 teaspoons roughly chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies.
  • Also add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder and 1 tablespoon coriander powder.
  • Add 3 to 4 teaspoons water and grind to a smooth paste. Do not add too much water as then the paste will splutter.

Frying Paneer And Potatoes

  • On a low to medium flame heat 3 tablespoons mustard oil in a kadai or pan and let it come to its smoking point. 
  • Reduce the flame and then add 1 large potato which have been chopped in small cubes.
  • Stir and begin to pan fry the potatoes till you see golden spots on the edges and the potatoes are almost cooked.
  • In the same pan add 200 grams paneer, which have been chopped in cubes. pan fry paneer on medium flame.
  • When one side is light golden, turn over each paneer and fry the second side. Fry till the paneer pieces are light golden. Do not fry paneer for too long as then they become hard.
  • Remove the fried paneer and keep in lukewarm water. This helps the paneer to remain soft.

Making Chanar Dalna

  • Now in the same pan, some oil will be left. Add 1 small to medium tej patta and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Saute till the cumin seeds crackle. If you want you can add 1 tablespoon more mustard oil.
  • Now add the ground ginger+green chili+spice powders paste. Be careful as the paste can splutter.
  • Mix very well and saute this mixture on a low to medium flame. Sauté till you see oil releasing from the sides and the color of the masala has changed.
  • Now add ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes and mix well.
  • Begin to sauté tomatoes on a medium-low to medium flame.
  • In case the tomatoes mixture looks dry, then sprinkle some water and continue to sauté.
  • Sauté till the tomatoes soften, become pulpy and you see a bit of oil releasing from the sides.
  • Add ⅓ cup green peas. Also add salt as per taste. Adding green peas is optional. mix and sauté for a minute.
  • Next add ¾ to 1 cup water or add as required. The gravy is thick, so for more gravy you can add more water. mix very well.
  • Cover pan with lid and simmer on medium-low flame for 15 to 16 minutes or till the peas are cooked and tender.
  • Do check in between and if the curry looks dry then you can add some water.
  • Simmer till the peas are cooked well.
  • Now add the fried potatoes and mix very well.
  • Add ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar or add as per taste.
  • Cover pan and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. the potatoes will be cooked by now.
  • Add the ground bengali garam masala. Mix well and switch off flame.
  • Add 1 to 2 teaspoons ghee and mix again.
  • Now add the paneer cubes and mix again.
  • Serve chanar dalna hot or warm with poori, luchi or roti.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 10gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 330mgPotassium: 387mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 529IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 295mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Chanar Dalna
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