Recipe: Mutter Paneer

Mmmm... Mutter Paneer on a bed of lovely rice.

This is based on a recipe I found in a cookbook called “Vegetarian” by Fiona Biggs.  Of course, as true to form, I made some changes to make it more to my liking.  Enjoy!  Word on the street is that you can buy Paneer already made in a package, but I’ve never seen it so I just make my own.

Paneer
Ingredients:
10 cups full fat milk
5 tblsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
1.  Put milk in a large container, non-stick would be best.  Slowly bring it to a roiling boil, stirring occassionally to keep milk bits from sticking (and they will, oh God, they will).

Milk and lemon juice (I only made a half recipe of Mutter Paneer)

2.  When milk boils, immediately add lemon juice and remove from heat.  Stir a few times until the curds and whey magically seperate.  If this doesn’t happen, add more lemon juice until it does.

MAGIC!

3.  Let your curds and whey stand a few minutes to cool (or risk scalding burns) and then pour through a cheesecloth.  I like to put mine in a small strainer and sit it inside a collander for support, but use what you’ve got, plus the cheesecloth.

Small strainer in a collander. Put your cheesecloth inside the strainer.

4.  When cheese is fully drained (this will depend on many factors, just keep an eye on it), move it to a piece of wax paper that’s too big.  Fold the sides over the cheese and place a weight bigger than the cheese mass on top.  Allow weight to work for at least a half hour, more is better.

This is what dry cheese should look like.

Cheese wad pressed between wax paper.

5.  When cheese is cool, cut into cubes and fry in a non-stick pan.  Don’t burn it!  No more than 5 minutes, tops… we’re looking for brown, not black.  Flip with tongs and get the other side, too.  I don’t usually do the short sides, this steps is really just to keep the cheese from falling apart (and it carmelizes the cheese nicely, too).

Delicious fried cheese!! (This is pretty good all by itself, btw)

6.  Remove cheese from fry pan and let cool until further notice.
Mutter Paneer
Ingredients:
4 tblsp vegetable oil
2 onions, quartered and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed (or minced)
1 inch piece of gingerroot, minced
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. ground tumeric
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 cups frozen peas
8 oz. chopped tomatoes (canned are ok)
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Paneer from above

Directions:
1.)  Heat your oil in the pan.  Add onions, cook for about a minute and then add garlic.  Cook these for 2 minutes or so, don’t let the garlic burn.  Add your spices and garlic and let them fry for about a minute.  Stir them into the onion, garlic and oil mixture until they are mixed well.

2.)  Add stock and tomatoes and allow to cook until tomatoes start to darken (for fresh tomatoes).  Add peas, mix well and cook until peas are warm.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

3.)  Add paneer, stir well.  Cook until paneer is warm.  Add cilantro and serve!

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