Good quality paneer (Indian cottage cheese) is one of those things which you take for granted in India especially in Punjab where the quality of milk is remarkable and paneer can be found in every corner of the city. When we moved to USA, I had to learn to make this from scratch for my husband who really likes paneer. My mom-in-law was the one who showed me how to make paneer at home and making paneer at home became a ritual. I am also someone who tries to do something different in the kitchen all the time and the next challenge was to take it to the next level.

Anyone who has lived in Chandigarh a long time knows that there is a Talwar Dairy in sector 15 who has masala paneer. It is paneer which is flavored with salt, pepper and spices and can be eaten as a snack by itself. I have made this several times now and each time it tastes better than the previous!

I have made this paneer recipe several times and have experimented with a wide variety of additions to flavor it differently every time. And it was when I came to Singapore and started using the large Red Thai chilies that I started to love the fact that the paneer now not only tasted great but also looked very good with the red and green jewels of finely chopped chilies and studded with roasted cumin and coriander seeds. This salty and peppery paneer is an year round favorite and can be eaten as is or added to your favorite paneer recipe to add a new depth of flavor.

Now, making good paneer at home can be quite a challenge itself …. And there are some things that I have learnt along the way that have helped me improve the taste and texture of paneer.

1. Fat is good! – This is the single most important factor which can make paneer range from good to bad. Always use fresh milk/whole milk for paneer. If there is not enough fat in the milk that you’re using, don’t hesitate to add some heavy cream or half and half when you’re boiling the milk.

2. Power of a good boil – make sure that the milk comes to a full boil before you curdle it. It may mean you need to keep stirring it often to ensure it does not burn/stick to the base of the pan – but it’s worth it!

3. The right weight – after you have curdled the milk, the curds need to set well. Make sure the weight you use to set the paneer is not too heavy or too light. If it is heavy, then don’t use for a long time. A light weight will not let the paneer set properly and if the pressure is not spread well equally, there will be parts of the paneer which may not set well.

Ingredients:

2 litres fresh/whole milk

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

2-4 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped red / green chilies

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 tablespoon each coriander and cumin seeds (dry roasted and pounded roughly in a mortar and pestle)

Salt to taste

Coarsely ground pepper to taste

Method:

1. Boil the milk and cream together till it reaches a full boil. Keep stirring in between to ensure there the milk does not burn, stick to the base of the pan.

2. When the milk has boiled fully reduce the flame to the lowest and add 2 tablespoons vinegar and stir. The most important clue you need to look out for is that the curds separate completely and the greenish colored whey is left behind. This whey should not contain any milk solids – this will ensure that you have been able to extract the maximum paneer from the milk. If you still feel there are milk solids in the liquid, keep adding vinegar, 1 tablespoon at a time and keep stirring it till the whey looks like it has lost all solids.

3. Put a cheesecloth or a fine muslin cloth in a strainer and strain the curds from the liquid. Add the chopped chilies, coriander, cumin seeds and salt & pepper to the strained curds and mix well. In case you want to make plain paneer, skip the last step of adding the spices. Wrap it with the cheesecloth and place a flat heavy object on it (like a heavy pot full of water) and leave for about 10 minutes.

4. After the paneer has set, cut it into cubes and serve as is or add it to your favorite paneer recipe and enjoy!