1,000 Indian Recipes (181 page)

Tofu, a soft cheese made from soy milk instead of cow's milk, can also be used in place of
paneer
cheese to make appetizers, side dishes, and entrées. The texture and flavor of dishes made with tofu will be smoother and lighter, but, though different, they will be a delicious and healthier substitute—with some people actually preferring tofu to
paneer
cheese.

You can either buy firm tofu or make it at home. Simply buy plain soy milk and follow the directions for making
paneer
cheese
.

Spicy Peppered Paneer Cheese

Kaali Mirch vaala Paneer

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Coated with roasted black pepper and fresh ginger, this smooth cheese is lovely when presented alongside others as part of a platter. It is also incredible in sandwiches and bagels. Look for muslin in fabric stores, or just fold readily available cheesecloth in 4 layers to hold the cheese.

¹
⁄
₂
gallon milk

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 cups plain yogurt, whisked until smooth, or 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

1 (2-foot-square) piece fine muslin or 8-foot-piece cheesecloth folded in 4 layers

1 tablespoon peanut oil

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon black peppercorns, dry-roasted and coarsely ground (
Dry-Roasting Spices
)

2 tablespoons fine plain bread crumbs

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

1.
Place the milk and salt in a large, heavy pan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring gently. Just before the milk boils and the bubbles spill over, mix in the yogurt or the lemon juice and stir gently, until the milk curdles and separates into curds and whey (whey is translucent green in color), 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from the heat.

2.
Drape the muslin or cheesecloth over a large pan and pour the curdled milk into it. As you do this, the whey will drain through the muslin into the pan, and the curds will remain in the muslin. Once all the curds are in the muslin, pick up the muslin by all 4 corners and tie the 4 ends into a knot over the kitchen faucet. Let drain, 3 to 5 minutes.

3.
While the cheese is draining, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, the ginger, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the black pepper and bread crumbs and stir until the seasonings are dry but not scorched. Remove from the heat and spread the mixture evenly on a plate.

4.
Transfer the paneer curds from the muslin to a food processor, then add the cream cheese and chile peppers and process until well mixed.

5.
With lightly buttered clean hands, or using a piece of waxed paper, shape the cheese mixture into a ball, then roll the ball evenly in the bread crumb mixture, making sure it is well-coated. Keep it as a ball or press lightly with your hands to flatten it into a patty, an oval, a rectangle, or a log. Serve as you would any other cheese balls or spreads, such as with an assortment of crackers or with crudités.

Crunchy Paneer Cheese Pâté

Pyaz vaala Paneer ka Gol Tukra

Makes 6 to 8 servings; about 8 ounces

This smooth
paneer
cheese, with the light crunch of onions and red bell peppers, can be molded into a log, a ball, or any shape you choose. Serve it on your cheese-and-crackers platter, or offer it with an array of
parantha
(griddle-fried breads) or
naan
(
grilled leavened breads
) wedges.

¹
⁄
₂
to 1 teaspoon
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought)

8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

¹
⁄
₂
cup minced red bell pepper

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt

1.
Prepare the masala. Prepare the paneer cheese. Then crumble the cheese coarsely, place it in a food processor and pulse a few times until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.

2.
Heat the oil in a small nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds and black pepper; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger, green chile peppers, red bell pepper, and salt, and stir about 2 minutes. Let cool.

3.
Add the vegetables to the paneer cheese and mix well with clean fingers or a spoon. Then shape into a ball (or any shape you prefer), garnish with chaat masala, and serve.

Seared Paneer Cheese in Lemon Cream

Halka-Bhoona Khatta Paneer

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Lemon butter, made by adding lemon juice to simmering butter, adds a flavor boost to plain foods, and when you mix in some ginger,
chaat masala
, and a touch of cream, it takes on a delicate smoothness that complements the foods even more. Here I use it over lightly seared
paneer
cheese. Serve on a platter with crackers or with wedges of pan-fried
parantha
breads. This dish can also be served on the side with a
dal
(legume dish), such as
Yellow Mung Beans with Sautéed Onion and Ginger
, and rice.

1 teaspoon
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought), or to taste

8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)

¹
⁄
₄
cup minced chives

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¹
⁄
₄
cup heavy cream or plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1.
Prepare the masala. Prepare the paneer cheese then cut it into 4 long flat pieces, each about
¹
⁄
₄
-inch thick. Season lightly with chives, salt, and black pepper.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and quickly sear the paneer cheese pieces until lightly golden, about 15 to 20 seconds per side. Transfer to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm.

3.
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to bubble. Add the ginger and green chile pepper and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and chaat masala and bring to a quick boil.

4.
Add the cream (or yogurt) and stir until just heated through. (If you're using yogurt, don't heat for a long period or the yogurt will separate.) Drizzle over the paneer cheese and serve.

Seared Paneer Cheese with Caper Sauce

Ek-Minut Bhoona Kair vaala Paneer

Makes 4 to 6 servings

You may not think of capers as an Indian seasoning, but capers (or a close relative) do grow in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, where they are generally sold as dried berries called
kair
. The Rajasthanis routinely make a caper curry and even deep-fry the capers, which is considered quite a delicacy. Brine-packed capers are definitely not Indian, but that is the form I find them in here; they are lovely in this dish.

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought), or to taste

8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons unsalted butter

¹
⁄
₄
cup drained brine-packed capers (with 1 tablespoon brine reserved)

¹
⁄
₄
cup minced red or orange bell pepper

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1.
Prepare the masala. Prepare the paneer cheese then cut it into 10 to 12 large pieces, each about
¹
⁄
₂
-inch thick. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.