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Chanar Kofta Dalna Recipe | Bengali Paneer Curry

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Tarla Dalal • Updated : Jan 24, 2026

If you love comforting, traditional food with a homely touch, this chanar kofta dalna recipe is going to win your heart. A true gem of Bengali cuisine, this Bengali paneer kofta curry features soft, melt-in-the-mouth chanar koftas gently simmered in a mildly spiced gravy that’s rich yet balanced. Unlike heavy restaurant curries, this dish feels light and nourishing, making it perfect for everyday meals as well as special occasions. What makes it even better is that it doubles as a healthy chanar borar dalna sabzi, prepared without excess oil or cream. Serve it with steamed rice or soft rotis, and you’ve got a comforting, wholesome meal that tastes just like something made in a Bengali home.

An image showcasing a white plate filled with Chanar Kofta Dalna, a traditional Bengali dish featuring soft cottage cheese balls submerged in a rich, reddish-brown tomato-based gravy. The six koftas are topped with a small garnish of crumbled paneer and fresh cilantro. In the background, a small white bowl holds fresh salad with tomato slices, onion rings, and lemon wedges, while a plate of folded rotis rests on a dark blue plate. The entire meal is set on a green and white striped napkin over a dark wooden surface.

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Table of Content

About Chanar Kofta Dalna

Ingredients

Methods

Like chanar kofta dalna recipe

What is chanar kofta dalna made of?

How to make the koftas

How to proceed

Pro tips to make chanar kofta dalna recipe

Nutrient values

chanar kofta dalnais a simply delicious and healthy cottage cheese curry of bengali cuisine.

chanar kofta dalna is a classic Bengali dish made with soft and flavourful paneer koftas dunked in a rich, creamy tomato gravy. It is rich, spicy and luscious and it is mostly prepared on some special occasions.

Bengali paneer kofta curry is so delicious yet so easy to make at home for a weeknight meal. This healthy chanar borar dalna sabzi can be relished with rice items like plain rice or khichdi or with flat breads like rotis, parathas or luchi.

. As a traditional Bengali paneer kofta curry, it uses fresh chana (paneer), which is rich in protein and calcium and helps keep you fuller for longer. When the gravy is made with minimal oil and without added sugar or cream, this dish fits well into a diabetes-friendly diet in controlled portions. Pairing it with brown rice or roti instead of refined carbs can help manage blood sugar levels more effectively.

From a heart-health and weight-loss point of view, this dish works best as a healthy chanar borar dalna sabzi when shallow-fried or lightly sautéed koftas are used. Paneer provides good fats that support heart health, while spices like ginger and cumin aid digestion. Portion control is key, but enjoyed mindfully, this comforting curry can be both satisfying and nourishing without feeling heavy.

pro tips to make chanar kofta dalna recipe: 1. Fresh chenna (paneer) is essential for making soft and fluffy koftas. 2. For a richer flavor, you can cook the sabzi using a dollop ghee or clarified butter. 3. You can also shallow fry the koftas using minimal oil.

Ingredients

For The Koftas

Other Ingredients

1 tsp mustard (rai / sarson) oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 small cinnamon (dalchini) stick
1 bay leaf (tejpatta)
1 tsp crushed panch phoron
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
3/4 cup tomato pulp
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder
1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
salt to taste

Method

For the kofta

To make chanar kofta dalna recipe, in a deep bowl, add grated paneer, capsicum, besan, ginger, green chillies, turmeric, cumin powder, garam masala and salt.
Mix it very well, divide and roll in 8 equal portions.
Heat an appe pan, and grease it well using ½ tsp oil.
Place the kofta balls and cook them using ½ tsp oil, until light golden brown in colour while turning the sides.
Remove the kofta and keep them aside.

How to proceed

Heat 1 tsp oil in a deep pan, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bayleaf, panch phoron and sauté for a few seconds.
Add onions and sauté it for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté it for a few seconds.
Add tomato pulp, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander cumin seeds powder, fenugreek leaves and salt.
Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add ½ cup water and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
Just before servings, add the koftas and simmer it for 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve chanar kofta dalna hot garnished with coriander.

Chanar Kofta Dalna recipe with step by step photos

like chanar kofta dalna recipe

1. chanar kofta dalna recipe | Bengali paneer kofta curry | healthy chanar borar dalna | then do try other healthy Bengali recipes also:
  - rosha recipe | Bengali vegetable stew | healthy mixed vegetable stew |
  - sabji dewa musur dal recipe | Bengali style red lentil curry with vegetables | vegetable masoor dal |

what is chanar kofta dalna made of?

1. See the below image of list of ingredients for making chanar kofta dalna recipe.

how to make the koftas

1. To make chanar kofta dalna, in a deep bowl, add 1 cup grated paneer (cottage cheese). Chenna (paneer) is the base ingredient of the koftas.
2. Add ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum. Capsicum adds a subtle sweetness and a refreshing crunch to the chanar kofta.
3. Add 2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour). It acts as a binding agent to the koftas.
4. Add ½ tsp grated ginger (adrak). Its zesty kick beautifully complements the savory notes of the paneer and spices.
5. Add 1 tsp finely chopped green chillies.
6. Add ½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi).
7. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera) powder.
8. Add ¼ tsp garam masala.
9. Add salt to taste.
10. Mix it very well.
11. Divide and roll in 8 equal portions.
12. Heat an appe pan, and grease it well using ½ tsp oil.
13. Place the kofta balls.
14. Cook them using ½ tsp oil.
15. Until light golden brown in colour while turning the sides.
16. Remove the kofta and keep them aside.

how to proceed

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a deep pan.
2. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera).
3. Add 1 small stick cinnamon (dalchini).
4. Add 1 bayleaf (tejpatta).
5. Add 1 tsp crushed panch phoron. Panch phoron is a classic Bengali spice blend. It is made with five spices: cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, and fennel seeds. These spices have a wide range of flavors, including earthy, nutty, and slightly bitter.
6. Sauté for a few seconds.
7. Add ½ cup finely chopped onions.
8. Sauté it for 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Add 2 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste.
10. Sauté it for a few seconds.
11. Add ¾ cup tomato pulp. Tomato pulp forms the base of the dalna sauce, providing a vibrant red color and a luscious creamy texture.
12. Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi).
13. Add ½ tsp chilli powder.
14. Add 1 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder.
15. Add ½ tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi). The subtle bitterness of kasuri methi beautifully complements other ingredients.
16. Add salt to taste.
17. Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
18. Add ½ cup water.
19. Cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
20. Just before servings, add the koftas and simmer it for 2 to 3 minutes.
21. Serve Bengali paneer kofta curry hot garnished with coriander.

pro tips to make chanar kofta dalna recipe

1. Fresh chenna (paneer) is essential for making soft and fluffy koftas.
2. For a richer flavor, you can cook the sabzi using a dollop ghee or clarified butter.
3. You can also shallow fry the koftas using minimal oil.
4. Add ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum. Capsicum adds a subtle sweetness and a refreshing crunch to the chanar kofta.
  
  $Step 43 – Add ¼ cup finely <a href="https://www.tarladalal.com/glossary-chopped-capsicum-164i">chopped capsicum</a>. Capsicum adds a subtle sweetness and a refreshing crunch …$
5. Add 1 tsp crushed panch phoron. Panch phoron is a classic Bengali spice blend. It is made with five spices: cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, and fennel seeds. These spices have a wide range of flavors, including earthy, nutty, and slightly bitter.