Paneer

Paneer/Panir

Fresh cheese

 

Parsi homes often serve fresh paneer as a tea time treat.

 

The word paneer or panir comes from the word "peynir" which  means cheese - both in Farsi and Turkish. Although generally considered as typically Indian - Northern to be precise -  it was the Persians and Afghans who introduced it to the region as far back as the 16th century. While the inhabitants of the mountainous terrain prepared this cheese from sheep and goat milk,  the paneer of  India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan is now traditionally prepared from buffalo or cow’s milk.  

 

Paneer, pronounced as Puh-nir, is a simple home-made cheese, where the curds are separated from the whey. No additives or preservatives are added to prepare this.  Its texture is dependent on the amount of liquid squeezed out of it.

 

Eaten on its own warm when fresh, or chilled the next day, it is also used in a variety of recipes. Most commonly, it is diced and fried for adding to vegetarian dishes like curries and stews. I often use it in my samosa fillings, in quiche and even in a baked cheesecake. It can be prepared with the addition of other flavours like nuts, herbs and spices and eaten cut into pieces or as a dip.  

Free formed Paneer, creamy soft and  extremely fresh.

Serves 6

Makes 1 wheel of paneer of 500gm/1 lb

4 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cup yogurt
1 1/2 tsp salt

Optional squeeze of fresh lemon juice or 1/2 tbsp of vinegar

For the paneer

Bring the milk to a boil and continue to boil for 10 minutes – keep stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.

 

Gently beat the yogurt with the salt. Add the yogurt to the boiling milk and lower the heat to a simmer. Wait for the milk to separate. At the first sign of the milk separating, turn the stove off and allow the separating to continue until you can see the whey clearly. In the meantime, prepare a sieve lined with  muslin / cheesecloth. Overturn the paneer mixture over the sieve and allow to drain hanging the muslin very lightly for a soft cheese and pressing it down with weight to make the texture firmer.

Turn the paneer on to a plate, garnish and serve.

Tips

The addition of an acidic liquid like vinegar or lemon juice is optional and speeds up the separation of the curds and whey. 

Dips and cheesecake are best prepared from a soft paneer.

If you like a creamier texture increase the yogurt amount to 2 cups. 

The choices to flavour your paneer with are endless. Try any of these delightful fresh herbs  - coriander, parsley, mint, basil, oregano, chives, tarragon.  For a tangy flavour add olives -pickled vegetables, capers and cornichons all pair well. Spices like cracked peppercorns, zaatar, sumac, ancho chili, togarashi and jalapeno are a perfect pairing when pressed onto the paneer and give it a nice zing. A sprinkle of specialty salts - seaweed, saffron, black, pink or simple rock salt, all impart their unique flavour to the paneer. 

 

Serve on a charcuterie board with sweet red chilli jam or spicy chilli oil. Fig jam, tapenade and pesto also combine deliciously with this versatile dish. 

Special utensils to drain out the paneer and create the round wheel shape  are available at specialty stores.

The three parts of the utensil to make a perfect paneer 

Pressed Paneer; chilled overnight

An assembled Paneer pan !

For more recipes from the Parsi Cuisine and its origins read the cookbooks The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders and
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.


Also check out my e-cookbook Niloufer's Kitchen Quick: and Easy Menu
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HBSBLI4

Photo credit Sheriar Hirjikaka