D12 · Dinner · Odisha

Chhena Tarkari

Name: Chhena Tarkari
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Indian (Odisha)
Ingredients: 250 g chhena pressed into a block (about 1.75 litres toned milk, curdled with lemon and pressed 1 hour), or full-fat paneer, in 2 cm cubes; 100 g potato, in 2 cm cubes; 80 g green peas; 150 g tomato, puréed; 80 g onion, puréed; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 12 g mustard oil; 1 bay leaf; 1 tsp cumin seeds; ½ tsp turmeric; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 1 tsp cumin powder; ½ tsp garam masala; 5 g salt; 120 g raw rice for 3; 300 g salad

Good sourceVegetarian

Odisha's homestyle cottage-cheese curry: lightly seared chhena cubes with potato and peas in a mustard-oil gravy scented with bay leaf and garam masala.

Region: Odisha
Diet: Strictly vegetarian, egg-free
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Time, as written: Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min
Serves: 3
Difficulty: Easy–moderate
Status: Traditional; chhena seared rather than deep-fried
Good for: Weekend dinner

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D12Chhena tarkari, rice, saladPhotograph to come

Nutrition

Good source

23 gProtein

490kcal

5 gProtein per 100 kcal

Per serving	kcal	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Sat fat	Fibre	Sugars	Protein per 100 kcal
Chhena tarkari only (about 270 g)	325	19 g	23 g	17 g	8 g	4 g	12 g	6.0 g
Dinner plate: tarkari, 40 g raw rice, salad	490	23 g	59 g	17 g	8 g	7 g	14 g	5.0 g

Headline figures are for the full plate as served, with its stated roti, rice or bhakri; the dish alone is shown in the table.

Tier: Good source (plate); the dish alone is High protein. Plate density is just under 5 g per 100 kcal before rounding. Values use IFCT paneer for the chhena; homemade chhena from toned milk is usually lower in fat. Values checked against IFCT 2017 on 14 Oct 2026.

Values are estimates calculated from the listed ingredients and quantities (IFCT 2017 and product labels), not laboratory measurements. How the numbers were calculated.

Ingredients

Plate

120 g raw rice for 3
300 g salad

Method

Heat mustard oil until it just smokes; lower the heat. Sear chhena cubes 1 minute per side until lightly golden. Remove.
In the same oil, fry potato cubes 5 minutes until golden at the edges. Remove.
Add bay leaf and cumin, then onion purée. Cook 6 minutes until light brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato purée, turmeric, chilli and cumin powders; cook 5 minutes until oil separates.
Add potato, peas, salt and 300 ml water. Simmer 10 minutes until the potato is tender.
Add chhena; simmer 3 minutes. Finish with garam masala. Serve with rice and salad.

Protein optimisation

Where the protein comes from: Chhena supplies 15 g per serving; peas and potato 2.5 g.
Lighter: Homemade chhena from toned milk, drained but not deep-fried, typically has less fat than full-fat paneer (check by weight).

Variations, serving and storage

Regional: Bengali chhanar dalna — add a pinch of sugar and a little ghee at the end.
Substitution: Firm tofu for chhena (adds soy; lower in fat).
Storage: 2 days refrigerated.
Food safety: Homemade chhena keeps 2 days refrigerated; use promptly.
Meal prep: Make chhena the day before.

Allergens

Milk

Labels: Good source · Soy-free · Whey-free · Gluten-free* · No added sugar

Gluten-free* means gluten-free only when certified gluten-free hing is used; most hing contains wheat flour.

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