My Way

Sometimes I look at a recipe and decide there’s something about it I would like to change. Maybe I’m not fond of a particular ingredient or maybe the method can be simplified. For example, I found a recipe for Matar Paneer (curried peas and Indian cheese) in the May 2007 issue of Saveur. I got excited glancing over the list of ingredients, but the result looked a little soupy. I also don’t like to fry the paneer because it can become rubbery. So I made a few changes, and I think the results were still very good, even if it looked nothing like the original.

Curried Peas and Cheese

• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3 cardamom pods, slightly crushed
• 3 cloves
• 1 3” cinnamon stick
• ½ of a large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp paprika
• 4-5 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• ¾ lbs paneer, crumbled or cubed (recipe follows)
• 2 cups frozen peas
• ½ tbs garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Handful of cilantro leaves for garnish

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 tbs oil and fry the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon until fragrant (about 30 sec). Add the onion and sauté until soft and starting to brown. Add the cumin, paprika, garlic and ginger, and sauté for about 1-2 minutes (but don’t let it burn). Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they are soft and broken down (can take 10 minutes or more). Add the peas and cook for about 2 minutes, until the peas are heated through. Add the paneer, garam masala and salt. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. If the mixture is too dry, add water until you get the desired consistency. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves and basmati rice or roti.

The highlight of this dish is the paneer, which tastes similar to cottage cheese, without the liquid. And like cottage cheese, you don’t have to feel guilty eating it because it’s low in fat. It’s not complicated to make either. You’ll just need cheesecloth, a stockpot, and a large freestanding colander.

Paneer (from Saveur)

• 1 gallon whole fat milk
• 2 ½ tbs kosher salt
• ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (no pulp)

In a stockpot, bring the milk and salt to a boil. You’ll need to stir it occasionally so it doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pot. When it boils, add the lemon juice and turn off the heat. Curds will start to form. Stir the mixture gently to help the curds form, but don’t overdo it or the curds will break up. After a couple of minutes, strain the mixture into a freestanding colander lined with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so to drain (put a hand towel on top to prevent stuff from falling in). Gather the end of the cheesecloth and twist them to form a ball of cheese. This should squeeze some of the liquid out of the cheese. Loosen the cheesecloth and wrap it around the cheese tightly to make a disc or oval shape. Place it back in the colander and place a flat heavy object on it like a plate (I used a pot that could fit into my colander). Start piling heavy pots on top of that, until the weight reaches 10 pounds or so. Let it sit like this for about 1 ½ hour to press the liquid out. You should end up with a nice, compact cheese, weighing about 1 ½ lbs. It can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. My Indian coworker says it can be frozen as well.