Matar Paneer ( Indian Cheese )

[Suvir Saran]

Matar Paneer ( Indian Cheese )

• 10 c whole milk
  
• 1/2 c buttermilk / yogurt (more maybe needed, so keep some extra
  

In a large heavy bottomed pan, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat. Stir often to ensure that the milk is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.

When milk starts to boil, lower heat and add the buttermilk and stir until the milk starts to separate into curds.

Remove from heat as soon as this happens. You can even add a few ice cubes to the curd-whey mix. The heat will make the protein tougher. Hence the need to expose the cheese to as little heat as possible.

If the curds are not forming, add a little more buttermilk and cook for a couple of minutes more. And do the above as soon as the curds form.

Pour the curds-whey mix into a collander lined with several layers of cheese cloth or even a layer of muslin, draining onto a dish that will collect the whey.

Collect the sides of the cheesecloth or muslin and tie them up together and twist gently to help drain the whey from the curds.

Place the bundled curds on a tray and press this bundle with a heavy pan/container or obejct. Make sure this heavy weight covers the bundle fully.

To make cheese for dessert recipes or for koftas or even a bhujia, weight it down for no more than a half hour.

For recipes where cheese cubes are used, weight the bundle down for an hour or more. This will make the cheese form a firm mass that can be cut into neat cubes.

Note: I use buttermilk as it makes for cheese that has very little sour flavor. People use lemon or vinegar, these curdle the milk quickly but leave a strong aftertaste. This aftertaste is not nice when making desserts with cheese.

Try and use the cheese the same day as you make it. The more time it is kept the dryer it becomes and the harder it will be. When making soft cheese for desserts. Weight it down for a shorter time as I write above. You can leave more moisture in, if you know you will not use it till the next day. The cheese will get dryer in refrigeration.

For the firm cheese, you can make the firm cube and store it overnight in chilled water. But you cannot put the cheese in water until a firm cake, with all the whey drained is formed. So, first make your cheese cube, and if you are not using it the same day, immerse it in a container of water, seal with a cover and cut only when ready to use into smaller cubes.

Keywords: Side, Indian

( RG886 )