Quick And Easy Paneer Cottage Cheese Recipe

How to make paneer at home and soft and moist cottage cheese in a silky smooth green gravy.

Cottage cheese or paneer is one of the popular and widely used ingredients in Indian dishes. Soft and moist paneer makes variety of dry as well as gravy dishes in Indian food. Most of the restaurants have elaborate dishes made with paneer on their menu and they are very popular too. Let it be tikka, kebab, kofta, kheema, paratha, pakora or even desert, paneer is number one choice of most of the vegetarians and it is a good source of proteins for them. Making paneer at home is very easy.

How to make paneer

Bring 1 litre milk (with or without fat) to boil on medium heat. Turn the heat low and place a long spoon in the milk to keep it from splashing out. Stir 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice in a half cup of cold water. Add the water to boiling milk and stir well with the spoon to make sure that the water is evenly mixed with the milk. This process separates the curds from the whey. Drain the curds in muslin or cheesecloth and tie a knot of the cloth by bringing the corners together to form a tightly closed sack. Place some weight on the sack for 2-3 hours to press the water out. A stone slab or a heavy steel saucepan are a few easily available options for weight. Cut this paneer in desired size of cubes and use either fresh or keep in a freezer to use later on.

Cottage Chees (Paneer) in Green Gravy

Palak paneer (cottage cheese in spinach gravy) is one of the most popular Indian dishes made of paneer. However, for those who like their dish green but it is difficult for them to like or digest spinach, this green gravy is a good option. Here is a quick and easy recipe for cottage cheese in green gravy.

Ingredients

1 cup paneer cubes
½ cup chopped green bell pepper (optional)
2 hands full of coriander leaves washed
8-10 fresh mint leaves
1 medium size onion sliced
½ cup chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
2 cloves of garlic
1 inch of ginger root
1-2 green chillies
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
4-5 whole black peppers
1 tsp cumin seeds
Oil
Water
Salt to taste

Procedure for Cottage Cheese in Green Gravy

1. Heat 3-4 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan and fry paneer cubes till golden brown. Place warm water in large bowl and stir in a pinch of salt.
2. Soak fried paneer in this water to remove excess oil and to keep paneer nice and moist. Heat a non-stick pan and dry roast desiccated coconut till golden brown.
3. Remove the coconut from the pan and place it in a food processor. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan and fry onions till nice brown.
4. Transfer the onions to the food processor with the coconut. Add tomatoes, coriander leaves, mint, chillies, ginger and garlic and grind well to make a fine paste. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep saucepan.
5. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add whole black pepper and green bell peppers. Cook for 2 minutes or till the peppers are a bit tender. Add the green paste and cook for another 5-7 minutes continuously stirring.
6. Add some water to attain desired thickness of the gravy and let it boil. Add salt and mix well. Pass the paneer through strainer to drain the water and add paneer to the gravy. Cook for 2 minutes.
7. Turn the heat off and remove the paneer in a white serving bowl. Garnish with shredded ginger and thin sliced red bell peppers to achieve a nice colour combination.
8. Serve hot with naan roti or any rice and raita (vegetables or fruits combined with yogurt flavoured with spices and herbs)