My favorite preparation of paneer (before this recipe) is Tandoori paneer; it is made by marinating paneer in a blend of yogurt and spices and roasting on a grill (traditionally tandoor) to give it a tangy and smoky flavor reminiscent of tandoori cooking.
Fresh paneer takes all your existing paneer recipes to the next level. What is next level of next level? In gaming language a bonus level? Adding flavoring before paneer is formed.
Paneer is traditionally made by curdling milk with lemon juice or vinegar, resulting in a soft, crumbly cheese. Flavored paneer takes this basic cheese recipe and adds various herbs, spices, and other ingredients to enhance its taste and aroma. In this recipe I am using green chillies, mint and cilantro as the main flavors and hint of ginger. And honestly this paneer don’t need any gravy, it is great by itself. I love having it with dash of chat masala and the paneer pakodas, they are out of the world!
Happy Cooking!
Flavored Paneer
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole milk full fat
- salt as per taste
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 5 cloves
- 5 whole black pepper
- 6 green cardamoms
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 cup curd strained
- 1 tsp ghee
- 1/4 cup chopped green chilies
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped mint
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp chopped ginger
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- cold water for cooling
Instructions
- Keep a stainer layered with cheese cloth and a large bowl to gather whey aside.
- In a heavy bottom pan, on a low heat warm the milk.
- Make a cloth packet with cloves, black pepper and cardamom and place it in the milk to infuse the flavors. Add salt, sugar and cumin and keep stirring at regular interval.
- Once the milk is warm, add curd, ghee, red pepper flakes, green chilies, mint, ginger and cilantro. Keep stirring.
- As the milk comes to gentle boil, add lemon juice and stir continuously.
- Once the milk is completely curdled (the whey is almost translucent), remove from the heat and keep stirring for another minute.
- Drain the curdled milk in the prepared strainer, rinse with cold water and squeeze off excess liquid.
- Still in the cheese cloth, shape the paneer into a block in a flat plate and keep a heavy object over it. Let it sit for half an hour.
- The paneer is ready to be used. It tastes great with some chat masala or as paneer pakodas.
- If not using right away, refrigerate the paneer for a week or freeze for 2 months.
