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Chhanar Dalna

Soft koftas of fresh chhana, fried golden and simmered with potatoes in a ginger-cumin gravy with ghee and garam masala. A festive Bengali niramish classic.

Ingredients

• 1½ kg full-fat milk, for chhana
• 3 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar, mixed with 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp maida (plain flour)
• ½ tsp sugar, for the koftas
• 2 potatoes, in large cubes
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1½ tbsp ginger paste
• 1½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp bengali garam masala (cinnamon, cardamom, clove), ground
• 4 tbsp mustard oil, for frying
• 1 tbsp ghee
• salt to taste

Method

1. Bring the milk to a boil, switch off, and add the lemon water little by little till it splits. Strain through a muslin cloth, rinse with cold water and hang for 30 minutes.
2. Knead the chhana on a plate with the heel of your palm for 5 minutes till smooth. Add maida, 0.5 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt, knead 1 minute and roll into 12 small flat koftas.
3. Heat mustard oil and fry the koftas on low-medium till light golden, about 2 minutes each side. Remove. Fry the potatoes with a pinch of turmeric till golden and remove.
4. Leave 2 tbsp oil in the pan. Add bay leaves, cumin seeds and green chillies.
5. Add ginger paste, cumin, coriander, chilli powder and turmeric mixed with 3 tbsp water. Cook 3 minutes till oil separates. Add tomato and cook 3 minutes till soft.
6. Add the potatoes, salt, sugar and 1.5 cups hot water. Cover and cook 10 minutes till the potatoes are tender.
7. Slip in the koftas and simmer 3 to 4 minutes only, so they soak the gravy without breaking.
8. Finish with ghee and garam masala. Rest 5 minutes and serve with rice or luchi.

Tip: Do not squeeze the chhana dry. Hang it so it stays slightly moist; dry chhana gives cracked, hard koftas.