Chhanar Dalna (Cottege cheese curry)

Chhanar Dalna (Cottege cheese curry)

To prepare the cottege cheese balls:

Option 1: Bring milk to a boil and curdle with lime or calcium lactate. Separate the cottege cheese from the whey. Drain out all the water from the cottege cheese by hanging in a cloth. After this, cut into small pieces and deep fry in oil.

Option 2: After the cottege cheese is ready, cool it, add salt, a little bit of sugar, a little ginger paste and green chili paste, and a little flour to make it firm. Mix well. Shape into small balls, flattening it a little bit and deep fry and keep it separately.

You may use either of the above methods to prepare the balls.

Ingredients for the curry: (if the weight of the cottege cheese is 500 gms)

  • 500 gms of diced potatoes
  • Grate and keep aside half a coconut (optional)
  • turmeric
  • ginger paste
  • cummin paste
  • salt, sugar
  • garam masala (hot spices)
  • for phoron (seasoning): whole cummin seeds (a few), a few bay leaves, oil for cooking and a little ghee.

The method:

To extract milk from coconut, soak the grated coconut in hot water and after a while mix it well so that the white milk separates. Strain with a cloth. store this milk separately.

In a pan add a little oil and heat it. Add cummin seads and bay leaves. Add the diced potatoes and fry well. As it turn brown, add salt, turmeric, ginger, cummin (as paste). Cook till the oil floats on top. Add enough water to boil the potatoes. But a lot of gravy should not remain. When the potato soften, add the cottege cheese balls, bring to a boil. Add the coconut milk and remove from fire