Basic recipe 1
Panir, firm Indian cream cheese
for 2 persons
Panir is a classic in vegetarian Indian cuisine. The great thing about Panir is that it is very quick to prepare and as a firm-cut, boil-proof cream cheese, it finds its way into very many recipes.
For this recipe you need
4 tbsp. water
1 l fresh whole milk, min. 3.8% fat content, we recommend grass feed milk (organic quality)
200 ml cream
2 organic lemons, juiced or half a cup of fruit vinegar
To prepare, juice the lemons. Then heat 4 tbsp of water in a pot. Then add the fresh whole milk and a short time later the cream. Heat the mixture just below boiling point. It is extremely important that the milk does not burn, so please stir constantly. The pot is removed from the heat. Now stir the lemon juice (or fruit vinegar) into the milk – do not stir, otherwise the curd will be too fine-grained. If not enough curd / or whey has formed, you can increase the amount of lemon juice. Line a kitchen strainer with cheesecloth. Place the curd in the strainer so that most of the whey can drain off. Rinse the curd with lukewarm water. Note: If you are using lemons, the chilled whey will make a refreshing drink. Twist the cheesecloth tightly so that more whey is pressed off. Leave the press cake in the cheesecloth. Place the loaf between two smooth surfaces and weigh it down with about 3 kg. The weight will release more liquid and within 45-60 minutes the loaf will have a stable, sliceable shape and is ready for further use.
The finished panir is cut into cubes or slices and added to various dishes.
Suggested Variation:
Fresh or dried herbs can provide some variety, such as fenugreek or masala spice mix. The herbs are boiled with the milk to give the panir a unique aromoa.