Cottage cheese is known the world over. It is among the most basic of American foods and an ordinary component of a meal in France or Greece. But the Indian version, known as paneer, is just a little bit different. Similar to ricotta, it adds not just dairy but a delightful hint of tang to any dish.
Making your own can be a challenge, but a fun one at that.
Ingredients:
1 quart whole cow’s milk
1/2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp water
In a saucepan, pour in the milk. Bring the mixture slowly to a boil, taking care not to brown the liquid. To avoid that, stir continuously.
Remove from heat and add the vinegar. Stir well. Lemon juice can be used instead of vinegar for a slightly different flavor. Cover for a few minutes. The milk should begin to curdle into chunks. Then, drain the soupy mass through a muslin cloth over the sink. Then gather the edges and hold the ball over cold running water for a minute. Squeeze out the excess water.
Place the muslin sack on a clean carving board. Pressure completes the process and that can be applied in any of a number of ways. One good way is to use a flexible plastic bowl placed on top of the sack, pressed down by a heavy brick. For those who wish to have one around, a cheese press can be purchased. Pressure should be applied for 2-3 hours at room temperature.
Dice into chunks.
Paneer Dishes
The important thing, of course, is how you use paneer to liven up your Indian-style meals. One simple way to do that is by preparing Palak Paneer, a type of spinach curry.
Ingredients:
1 lb paneer
2 lb fresh spinach
1/2 cup tomato chunks
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp garam masala
Preparation:
Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a skillet and add the spinach, cooking until it becomes a paste, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomato and sour cream, continuing to cook for another five minutes. Add in the paneer and complete by cooking for an additional 10 minutes over medium heat. Stir occasionally.
Serving:
Palak makes for the perfect vegetarian meal, or an equally great side dish for meat eaters. Serve warm with some naan.
Paneer Kebabs
For a great barbecue idea, try some Paneer Kebabs. You can use chicken or lamb, or just stab some vegetables and get ready for a delicious meal.
Ingredients:
8 paneer chunks
8 tomato chunks
8 thick onion slices
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp ground peppercorns
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp lemon juice
Marinate the vegetables in the yogurt with the garlic and peppercorns, liquefied by the lemon juice. Allow to soak for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Alternate each vegetable with a chunk of paneer on the kebab sticks. Now heat the whole delightful assembly on the barbecue grill for about three minutes, or until the edges of the onions are brown.
Enjoy!