Chanar Korma Recipe – Fried Cottage Cheese Bullions in a Rich Cashew Based Sauce

I have been in a creative limbo lately. I am literally stuck. Words don’t flow out of me effortlessly as they used to. Neither, do I have the inclination to click pictures of all the food I cook. I would click a few using my iphone but that’s the end of the story. It’s not a good feeling.

Last weekend, we set out for a two-day trip to Lake Tahoe. Just taking some time off and being away from the every-day environment was all what I wanted. Being in California, there are tons of places to choose from for such small weekend trips. We have been to Lake Tahoe many times before. But every time we go, we find something new, something unexplored and something so rejuvenating about this place.

Chanar Korma Recipe

One of the evenings we dined in a beautiful gourmet restaurant. It was incredibly relaxing to sit next to this immense glass window and as dusk slowly fell, I looked out at the blue expanse of the water and couldn’t stop the mind wandering away and making random stops at memories here and there. Sipped some good wine and enjoyed seeing Sam and Gungun bond just like the way I would with Baba, my dad.

And somewhere within me, just felt so grateful for having granted the life that I am living.

So after we came back home all recharged, I got back to the kitchen with renewed vigor. And I knew it had to be comfort food. Growing up, I loved Mom’s chhanar dalna which is nothing but curried ricotta cheese balls. And last time when I was home, we had gone to one of the restaurants in town serving authentic Bengali fare, Bhajohori Manna.  For some reason, I was not feeling well and did not have an appetite that day. It was one of those epic days when I decided to stay away from food and that too my favorite chhanar korma (a rich variant of mom’s humble chhanar dalna). Mom was particularly bummed for the fact that I could not eat my favorite food.

So once I was back in the States, my quest for the Bhojohori Manna recipe started. And many a trial and error later, I could nail that exact same taste that I had so skeptically and barely sampled once that afternoon in Kolkata. Can’t wait to cook it for mom once I go back this summer.

Chhanar Korma Recipe

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• Author: Somdatta
• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 45
• Total Time: 65
• Yield: 14

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Description

A comforting dish that reminds me always of Mom’s homecooked meals and happy times. Try out this Chanar Korma Recipe at Home.

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Ingredients

• Chhana (Ricotta Cheese) – 1 1/2 cup
• Salt – To Taste
• Sugar – To Taste
• All Purpose Flour – 3 tbsp
• Semolina Flour – ¼ cup
• Garam Masala – 2 tsp
• Ghee – 1 tbsp
• Oil – 1 cup (To Deep fry)

For the Sauce

• Vegetable Oil – 2 tbsp
• Ghee – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp (for serving later)
• Cinnamon Stick – 2 (inch long sticks)
• Green Cardamom – 5-6 (crushed)
• Bay Leaf – 1
• Ginger – 1 tbsp (grated)
• Paprika – 1 tsp
• Greek Yogurt – 3 tbsp
• Sugar – 2 tsp
• Salt – To Taste
• Cashew Paste – 2 tbsp
• Coconut Cream – ¼ cup
• Water – 3/4 cup
• Green Peas – ½ cup
• Garam Masala – 1 tsp
• Nutmeg Powder – 1 pinch

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Instructions

1. Mix together all the ingredients except the oil and knead finely.
2. In a tray, lined with parchment, pat down the mixture. Maintain a thickness of ½ an inch. Put it in the Freezer for 10 mins.
3. Take it out and cut into squares.
4. Heat the oil and fry the pieces until golden brown.
5. Remove from the oil and set aside.

For the gravy

1. Heat the oil and the ghee together.
2. Throw in the cinnamon sticks, cardamom and Bay Leaf.
3. Add the grated ginger and paprika and fry well.
4. Next goes in the Greek yogurt. Mix well and let it cook for 2 mins.
5. Add salt and sugar to taste. Mix well.
6. Add the cashew paste and coconut cream and mix it all in. At this stage add the water and let it simmer for 5-6 mins.
7. Add the fried bullions, green peas and let everything cook for couple of minutes.
8. Remove from flame. Add a tsp of ghee, garam masala and the nutmeg powder. Mix carefully.
9. Serve with steamed rice.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 788
• Sugar: 4
• Sodium: 164
• Fat: 78
• Saturated Fat: 12
• Unsaturated Fat: 62
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 14
• Protein: 12
• Cholesterol: 49

Keywords: Chanar Korma Recipe