Chaanar Borar Dalna

About this Recipe...

We all know that Bengalis are famous for their fish eating habits, but there are so many such recipes which are pure vegetarian and prepared on some special occasions like Pujas or festivals. In most of the Bengali houses, there is one particular day in the week, when pure vegetarian foods are prepared without onion and garlic because we believe that onion and garlic are non-veg.

So back to today's recipe, it is a very common recipe in every Bengali household and I prepared it very often and everybody loves it. It is called 'Chaanar Borar Dalna' or Cottage cheese dumplings curry. Here fresh homemade paneer or chaana is used to make this dumplings or bora and then the gravy is cooked with potato, cauliflower and minimum spices. Adding cauliflower is optional you can only use potato in this curry.

These dumplings are very tasty and you can even serve it as a appetizer or side dish with some green chutney, it will disappear in no time. Don't compare this curry with Malai Kofta because both are completely different in taste and texture wise. Whereas malai kofta is having a rich gravy with cream and cashew paste, this Bengali style curry is mild and having a complete different taste. So try this recipe at home and you will definitely love it and use only homemade paneer. Don't even try it with store bought paneer, you will not get the perfect taste. So give it a try and enjoy this special and simple curry with rice or paratha.

Ingredients

For the Chaanar Bora or Dumplings

• 1 Cup Fresh homemade chaana or paneer
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
• 1 Tbsp All purpose flour for binding
• Oil for frying the bora

For the Curry

• 1 Medium size potato cut into length wise
• 1 Cup Cauliflower florets
• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Dry red chili
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 Piece Cinnamon stick
• 2 Green cardamom
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 Tbsp Ginger-green chili paste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 Cup Tomato puree
• Water as required for making the gravy
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp Ghee or clarified butter

Directions

1. To make the chaanar bora or cottage cheese dumplings, take the chaana in a plate and add salt, sugar, red chili powder and all purpose flour for binding.
   
2. Mix everything and knead it very well. Make cracks free small patty shape balls or in Bengali we call it 'bora'.
   
3. Now heat oil in a pan and fry the bora in oil till it gets golden color from all the sides.
   
4. Remove it from the pan and keep it in a absorbent paper towel.
5. Now on the same pan fry the potato and cauliflower and keep it aside.
   
6. In the same pan heat some more oil if required and add bay leaf, dried red chili, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds for tempering.
   
7. Fry it for few seconds and then add ginger-green chili paste and all the dry spices with little water and fry it for 1-2 minutes.
   
8. Next add the tomato purée to it and mix it well with the spices.
   
9. Cover the pan and cook it for 3-4 minutes.
10. After 3-4 minutes remove the lid from the pan and add required amount of water for the gravy.
11. Cover it and let the gravy comes to a boil.
12. When the gravy will start boiling, add salt to taste and fried potato and cauliflower to it.
    
13. Simmer it for few minutes till the vegetables get cooked properly.
14. Now add the chaanar bora to it and cook it for another 2-3 minutes.
    
15. Finally sprinkle some garam masala powder and ghee to it and switch off the flame.
16. Your Chaanar Borar Dalna is ready, serve it with hot steamed rice and enjoy.