Personally, Paneer is not a favorite! I prefer Channa, however, the daughter loves Paneer and hence, Paneer er Dalna is the adjustment between us! This justification is needed as I already have Chanar Dalna recipe on the blog. Therefore, I must write why this separate recipe again!
Jump to:
- Watch how to make Bengali Paneer Er Dalna
- Paneer er Dalna or Niramish Paneer er Torkari!
- Making Paneer at home!
- Here's how I cook Paneer Er Dalna at Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Recipe Card
- Paneer/ Channa Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Pairing Bengali Paneer Er Torkari
- Have you tried the Bengali Ponir er Torkari recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Here's the Bengali Paneer Dalna Pin for your Pinterest Board!
The reason behind this is quite simple. Both the recipes and the process used are different and they should be. After all, Channa and Paneer are different! We make Paneer from Channa; not the other way around and that's what makes the difference! When the curry is cooked with Channa, the cheeseballs are way softer.
Watch how to make Bengali Paneer Er Dalna
Paneer er Dalna or Niramish Paneer er Torkari!
Well, I call it both based on Pasta's mood :P. My kid loves Paneer a lot, and I cook it quite often at home. She does not like it when our house help cooks the paneer for her; she prefers it when I cook it for her. However, these days, we are homebound, and the house help is not coming, so Pasta is getting her favorite paneer er torkari cooked by her mother. It serves her purpose.
This recipe is part of my easy cooking during the COVID-19 lockdown series. It takes very few and easily available ingredients to make this.
Making Paneer at home!
The process of making Paneer at home is quite easy. I will for sure share the recipe of how to make paneer soon. For now, I will be sharing the Bengali Niramish Paneer er Dalna recipe with step-by-step pictures.
Here's how I cook Paneer Er Dalna at Debjanir Rannaghar!
Recipe Card
Paneer er Dalna
Paneer Er Dalna is a Bengali style vegetarian no onion no garlic aromatic curry cooked with Paneer and also big potato chunks.
Ingredients
- 200 g Paneer
- 3 Potato Big
- 2 Tomato
- ⅓ Cup Green Peas
- 2-3 Green Chilli
- ⅕ Tbsp. Ginger Paste
Tempering
- 2 Red Chilli
- 2 Bay Leaf
- ½ Tsp. Cumin Seed
- 4 Green Cardamom
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 6 Clove
- ½ Tsp. Asafoetida
Spices
- 1 Tsp. Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tsp. Red Chilli Powder
- 1 Tsp. Cumin Powder
- 1 Tsp. Bengali Garam Masala Powder
- 1 Tbsp. Sugar
- 1 Tsp. Salt or to taste
- 3 Tbsp. Mustard Oil
- 1 Tbsp. Ghee
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes.
- Cut each Potato into four chunks. If using big potatoes, one is to be cut into 8 pieces.
- In Bengali cooking style, we opt for different cuts for different types of curries, Dalna calls for a different cut of potato than chorchori, and so on!
- Roughly chop Tomatoes.
- Chop Green Chillies as well.
- Cut the Paneer into desired shapes; either diamond or cube or rectangular.
- Sprinkle whole wheat flour, ¼ tsp. each of salt and turmeric powder over the paneer chunks.
- Lightly coat the paneer and keep those as it is for 15 minutes before frying.
- This helps in enhancing the flavor.
- Take 1 Tbsp. Oil in a bowl.
- Add ½ Tsp. Turmeric Powder, ¾ Tsp. Red Chilli Powder, Cumin Powder, ½ Tsp. Bengali Garam Masala Powder, Sugar, and also salt and make a thick mixture.
- Heat remaining oil in a pan.
- Sprinkle ¼ Tsp. each of Turmeric Powder, Salt, and Red Chilli Powder.
- Now add potato chunks and fry on medium flame.
- Strain from the oil, once fried.
- Now fry the marinated Paneer.
- Strain from the pan once fried.
- Now temper the oil with dry red chili, Cinnamon stick, Clove, Green and Black Cardamom, and also Cumin Seed.
- Add the ginger paste and cook for a minute.
- Add chopped Tomatoes and cook till soften.
- Now add the spice mix and mix it.
- Add little water while cooking.
- Add green chili at this point.
- Keep cooking on low flame till the mixture leaves oil from the edges.
- Add Green Peas and mix with the spices.
- Now add around 2 cups of water and bring it to boil.
- Add fried potatoes and cook till the potatoes are well-cooked.
- This will take 8-10 minutes on low flame.
- Now add the fried Paneer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Cook till the gravy reaches the desired consistency.
- Add Bengali Garam Masala Powder.
- Add Ghee as well.
- Switch the flame off once done.
Video
Nutrition
Paneer/ Channa Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Palak Paneer (also known as Saag Paneer)
- Quinoa Pulao with Spice infused Paneer (Also known as Paneer and Quinoa Pulao)
- Restaurant-style Paneer Makhanwala (also known as Butter Paneer)
- Shahi Paneer Korma (also known as Sahi Paneer)
- Paneer Bhurji (Also known as Paneer Ghotala)
- Restaurant Style Matar Paneer (Also known as Peas Paneer)
- Restaurant Style Navratan Korma Navaratan Korma (also known as Navratna Korma)
- Chanar Dalna (also known as Bengali Cottage Cheese and Potato Curry)
- Chana Bhapa (Also known as Bhapa Chana)
Pairing Bengali Paneer Er Torkari
While Bengali Paneer er torkari goes amazingly well with plain rice or roti, however, you can pair it with:
Have you tried the Bengali Ponir er Torkari recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Do let me know how it came out. Also, I would love to see a picture of the same which you can share here at dolonchttrj@gmail.com. Meanwhile, on Instagram, you can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.
Here's the Bengali Paneer Dalna Pin for your Pinterest Board!
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
Pooja says
Want is the best dish I can eat along with paneer er dalna? Khichuri, pulao or plain rice?
Debjani says
Have it either with plain rice or Pulao