Niramish Dim is an ingenious twist on the classic Bengali egg curry, replacing real eggs with potato "shells" filled with spiced chhana. Slow-simmered in an aromatic tomato gravy, these faux eggs absorb the rich flavours, resulting in a satisfying vegetarian curry. While it takes a bit of prep work to create the potato "eggs," the cooking process is straightforward, making it a fun weekend project that'll impress your family and friends.
Sunrise tip: To prevent the potatoes from breaking apart while cooking, choose potatoes that are naturally firm and be sure to fry them well before adding them to the gravy.
Time: 20 minutes
Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Mix lemon juice with a little water. Pour this into the boiling milk slowly, stirring gently, until it curdles completely. Strain the chhana in a muslin-lined colander and let it hang for 10-15 minutes to drain excess whey. Let it cool completely.
Time: 15 minutes
Peel the potatoes. Cut a flat base on one end of each potato, then use a spoon or knife to scoop out a small deep crater. Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes, including the small bits you cut off, until golden brown. Drain and set aside.
Time: 10 minutes
Mix the cooled chhana with salt, sugar, and a pinch of turmeric. Knead well. Fill the potato craters with this chhana mixture, packing it in tightly. Cover with the potato "lids" you had cut off earlier and secure with toothpicks.
Time: 15 minutes
In the same pan used for frying the potatoes, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and Sunrise Hing Powder. Fry until fragrant. Meanwhile, grind the tomatoes, cashews, green chillies, ginger, and charmagaz into a smooth paste. Add this to the pan along with a pinch of the Sunrise Haldi Powder and salt to taste once the whole spices are fried. Fry the masala well, adding a little water if needed.
Time: 15 minutes
When the oil starts to separate from the masala, add Sunrise Jeera Powder, Sunrise Dhania Powder, and Sunrise Kashmiri Mirch Powder. Fry for a minute. Add the stuffed potatoes along with some sugar. Pour in some more water if needed and cook for 4-5 minutes until the potatoes are fully cooked and have absorbed the flavours.
Time: 5 minutes
Sprinkle garam masala powder, give everything a final stir and take the pan off the heat. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and arrange them cut-side-up on a serving platter. Drizzle with fresh cream if desired. Serve hot with rice, luchi, or porota.
Side Dish: Crispy begun bhaja (fried eggplant slices) or aloo bhaja (spiced potato fries)