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Panir Medallions with Cheese Sauce
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Useful Tips:
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Milk and Milk Products
Milk is considered a vegetarian ingredient because it can be obtained without harming the animal that produces it, and because its nature is intended as a food for the calf. On the other hand, eggs could be obtained without harming the animal that produces them, but they are not intended as a food but rather as the starting substance that will form the body of the chick and not a food for the chick. However, it is true that in many countries, milk is obtained with unethical means and is often contaminated with polluting and harmful substances. We will leave to our readers the choice whether to use milk and milk products, avoid them, or substitute them with vegan equivalents. At Jagannatha Vallabha, we produce all our milk products, incuding Western style cheeses without animal rennet, and we take good care of our cows.
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Panir Medallions with Cheese Sauce
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Grilled Panir with Soya Sauce
Prepare 500 gr fresh panir (cottage cheese), drain it well in a colander, preferably under a weight. In the meantime prepare the marinade by mixing 2 spoons of soya sauce, 2 spoons of fresh red beet juice, 1 spoon of molasses, and a pinch of nutmeg. Cut slices of panir according to your choice, then marinade them for about 30 minutes. Grill or shallow fry the panir slices in a little oil, and serve them with a garnish of your choice. This recipe is very good also for sandwiches.
Panir Medallions with Cheese Sauce
Prepare 500 gr fresh panir (cottage cheese) as per basic recipe, then drain in a round shaped basket (plastic, bamboo or cane). If you can't find a proper basket, you can use a large can (both ends removed) lined with the thin muslim cloth: after transfering the milk solids cover the mouth of the can with the cloth, then turn the can upside down on a thick net rack to drain the liquid off. When the panir is firm enough slice it in medallions, and deep fry them quickly in hot oil. Drain them. In a shallow pan prepare one cup of vegetable stock, to which you may add your favorite herbs and spices. Heat the medallions in the vegetable stock for 2 minutes only, then drain and put on the serving plate. To the remaining vegetable stock in the pan, add one cup (100 gr.) of shredded cheese of your choice, then let melt slowly, stirring well. When the cheese has melted pour the sauce over the medallions and serve immediately. This recipe is very good also for sandwiches.
Panir and Fruit Kebab
Prepare 500 gr fresh panir (cottage cheese) as per basic recipe, then drain in a square container. When the cheese is firm cut it in cubes and deep fry them quickly in hot oil or clarified butter. Skew the panir cubes with fresh pineapple cubes, apple chunks, thick banana slices, bell pepper squares, and small sweet tomatoes. You may marinade the Kebabs in a sauce made with 1 spoon soya sauce, 1 spoon lemon juice, 1 spoon molasses, and then grill them quickly before serving.
Cucumber Cheese Ring
Choose about 500 gr of nice cucumbers with a thin peel. Reserve a number of thin slices for the top decoration, and chop the rest in small pieces. Add a little salt and allow to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes to expel the excess water. Chop a couple of tender celery stalks and one green bell pepper, and mix with the cucumber pieces, season with black pepper. Now put 300 gr fresh ricotta cheese and 300 gr cream cheese in a large bowl, mix in the vegetables and shape the ring on a serving plate. Decorate on top with the cucumber slices and keep in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
Crêpes Fromage
Prepare the salted crêpes first: mix 200 gr wheat flour with 100 gr. chickpea flour, add a pinch of baker's yeast, salt, warm water (or yogurt, or cheese whey), a pinch of nutmeg and turmeric each, and let sit for about 30 minutes. In this meantime prepare the filling: chop and stew seasonal vegetables (spinach, or asparagus, or artichokes etc) in a covered pot, with a spoon of oil, a little salt and just enough water to cook them. When they are done, add 200 gr shredded cheese. Cook the crêpes, one at a time, by ladling the batter on a non-stick pan and spreading it nicely, at about 1/2 cm thickness. When one side is done, flip the crêpe over and cook the other side. Fill each crêpe with the vegetables and cheese mix, fold them over in a baking pan, and cover with another 100 gr shredded cheese. Grill or bake quickly in hot oven and serve immediately.
Cheese Bombs
Shred 300 gr mozzarella cheese and mix with another 300 gr of another melting cheese of your choice. Press the two cheeses into balls, and put in fridge for about 15 minutes. Prepare the crust: mix 200 gr wheat flour with 200 gr chickpea flour, one spoon mild paprika, salt, and just enough tomato puree to get a very soft dough. Divide the dough into balls of the same size of the cheese balls, flatten it and wrap each disc around a cheese ball, sealing it very carefully to prevent the filling from leaking out. Quickly deep fry the balls in hot oil, drain them and serve immediately.
Ricotta Heart
Divide 1 kg of fresh ricotta in 3 parts: - for the green mix blend a large bunch of chopped fresh basil leaves with just enough cheese and 2 spoons of olive oil to make a smooth cream, then mix to the rest of the cheese (first third); season with salt - for the red mix blend a cup of chopped dried tomatoes (preserved in oil) with a little cheese and make a smooth cream, then mix with the rest of the cheese (second third) - for the white mix mix the rest of the ricotta cheese with one cup of grated fresh parmesan cheese. Put the three mixes in layers in the heart shape, with the help of wax paper: spread the cheese mix on a sheet of waxed paper on a plate, then carefully transfer the layer on place. Decorate the heart with pine nuts or cashew nuts and serve with crackers or toasted bread.
French Gratin Veggies
Stew about 500 gr of seasonal vegetables of your choice. Here are some nice combinations:
- pumpkin, string beans, pumpkin flowers - zucchini, green peas, leeks - artichokes, green peas, potatoes - zucchini, asparagus - fennel bulbs, potatoes - cauliflowers, potatoes, green peas - brussel sprouts, potatoes - chard, potatoes, green peas
When all the vegetables are tender but not mushy yet, transfer them to a baking pan. Mix one cup of white sauce with 200 gr of melting cheese, then pour on the vegetables, and cover with bread crumbs. Bake for about 10 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature.
Misti Dahi
This traditional Bengali recipe consists in yogurt made from condensed sweetened milk. You can make your own condensed milk by heating 4 liters of full cream milk in a large shallow pan on a slow fire. When the milk has reduced to 1/3 of its original volume, and it has become creamy in color, add about 200 gr sugar (you can adjust the quantity of sugar as per your needs and taste) and keep cooking for some other minutes, stirring carefully, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the condensed milk cool for to the proper temperature, then add 125 ml of fresh yogurt as per the basic recipe, mix well and pour in the serving bowls. Cover and keep in a warm place for several hours, until the mixture becomes firm, then transfer the bowls in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.
Simply Wonderful
You can make your own khoya (i.e. solid condensed milk) or choose to use commercial milk powder. In any case, mix the same quantity of shredded khoya or milk powder, fresh unsalted butter (softened), confectioner's sugar. You can also add a few spoons of cocoa powder (in this case, adjust with the butter and sugar) and a drop of food flavoring, or the grated rind of one lemon, etc. Knead the mix well, make small balls and keep them in the fridge in airtight container.
Sweet Rice Pudding
Boil 2 liters milk to the "evaporated milk" stage (to 1/2 the original volume. Add 2 spoons of white uncooked rice and a couple of cardamom pods, then let cook on low fire for about 30 minutes. The rice should almost disappear, and the milk should become still more condensed. At this point add 200 gr of white sugar and let it cook about 5 minutes more. You can also add a pinch of saffron powder while the rice pudding is still hot. Let the pudding cool very well before serving. In alternative to the cardamom/saffron recipe you can let the plain rice pudding cool before adding:
- one cup of chopped strawberries, OR - one cup of chopped blueberries, OR - 2 spoons of cocoa powder, OR - 2 ripe bananas, thinly sliced, and a pinch of cinnamon. Serve cold.
Srikhand
Prepare 5 liters of yogurt from the basic recipe. After cooling the yogurt in the fridge for about 3 hours, pour it in a thin muslin cloth arranged in a colander. Tie the bundle and let the yogurt drain for several hours. You may collect the whey and use it for other recipes (bread dough or batters, for example). When the yogurt is cream-thick remove it from the cloth and beat it well, adding sugar as per taste. Flavor your srikhand with one of the following:
- saffron powder, OR - grated lemon rind, OR - mashed strawberries, OR - mashed blueberries
Burfi
Prepare thick condensed milk as per basic recipe (1/4 of the original volume of the milk), then add the same amount of khoya and sugar. Keep cooking until you obtain a thick cream. At this point you can flavor and color your burfi with a pinch of saffron.
A quick variation of the basic burfi is the Nut burfi: Grind 200 gr of blanched almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachio or cashew nuts, then heat them in a pan with 50 gr fresh butter. Add 500 gr of thick condensed milk and 100 gr of sugar, then keep cooking until you obtain a thick cream. Let the burfi cool before shaping in balls or diamonds
Gulab Jamun
Mix 170 gr khoya with 340 gr panir and 127 gr white wheat flour, add one teaspoon baking powder. Knead well and make small round balls (without cracks). Deep fry in hot clarified butter with a slow fire, moving them constantly until they puff up and become golden brown. Drain the balls and soak them in a syrup made with 500 gr sugar boiled in 1/2 liter water; add one or two spoons of rose water. Serve preferably warm. Gulab jamuns can be kept in fridge for a very long time.
Kalakand
Prepare about 250 gr panir (with 1 lt ordinary milk), then blend it in a food processor with one cup milk. Heat the mixture in a shallow pan over a slow fire, stirring, until it thickens. Add 250 gr white sugar and a pinch of ground cardamom seeds, continue cooking until the mixture thickens again. Pound 100 gr of shelled nuts - almonds, walnuts, cashews or pistachio nuts - then mix into the cheese. Spread the mixture on a greased tray and let cool well before cutting in squares or diamonds.
Apricot Mousse
Wash and clean 500 gr fresh apricots, blend them in the food processor with 500 gr fresh ricotta cheese and sufficient sugar to taste. Pour in serving bowls or cups and keep in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. You may decorate with slivered almonds or slices of dried apricots. Other variants of the Mousse are:
Persimmon Mousse: substitute the apricots with the same amount of fresh ripe persimmon fruits Mango Mousse: substitute the apricots with he same amount of fresh ripe mangoes Chocolate Mousse: substitute the apricots with 150 gr cocoa powder and 150 gr of melted chocolate
Sandesh
Prepare 500 gr panir and knead it well until smooth. Put it in a non-stick pan with 100 gr white sugar and 2 spoons of rose water or orange flower water. Cook on slow fire, stirring, until the mixture melts and thickens again. You may add slivered almonds or pistachio nuts, or a pinch of saffron powder. Press the sandesh into moulds and let it cool well before unmoulding and serving.
Sago Kheer
Prepare 1 liter of evaporated milk, then add 300 gr (one cup) of tapioca pearls and let cook until the tapioca is translucid and the milk has thickened. Add 150 gr raisins, 200 gr cashews or slivered almonds, 100 gr pistachio nuts, and 150 gr sugar and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the fire and let it cool well before serving. You may also add a spoon of fresh milk cream just before serving. |
Make your own clarified butter (ghi)
Clarified butter is a traditional way to preserve butter at room temperature for long periods. It has been used for thousands of years all over the world, but it is most popular in India. To make your own clarified butter, melt a large quantity of fresh butter (at least 1 kg) in a small pot, over a slow fire. Gradually remove the foam and the solids that come to the surface of the melted butter, and keep them aside. They can be used as a lighter substitute for butter in many recipes (soups, rice, pastries, etc) but they need to be kept in the fridge and they last only a few days.
When the butter becomes completely clear and transparent like oil, remove from the fire and let cool for 15 minutes before transfering to a glass jar. While pouring the clarified butter into the glass jar, leave the thin crust of milk solids on the bottom of the pot. They can also be added to the foam and utilized in the same way.
It is important to finish the foaming process in one session only. You cannot stop the process and resume it later when the butter has cooled down, because the risk of burning the butter will be much higher. Also, it is important to keep the butter on a low and constant fire from beginning to end; any sharp change in temperature will affect the quality of the end result.
Clarified butter can be stored indefinitely at room temperature, and can be reused several times for deep frying.
However, it is necessary to remember these important points:
- never deep fry food that has been coated with flour or bread crumbs: small particles will sink to the bottom of the frying pan and will gradually burn, spoiling the clarified butter, - never leave the clarified butter on the fire without at least one piece of food cooking in it; when you finish your deep frying turn the fire off at least 30 seconds before you remove the last piece of cooked food from the clarified butter, - carefully control the cooking temperature (by adjusting the fire and the amount of food pieces cooking) so that the clarified butter does not become overheated, - keep your clarified in a closed container so that it does not get contaminated by dust, filter it every time you finish cooking,
Heat 1 liter full cream milk to the boiling point, then remove from the fire and let it cool for about 30 minutes in a suitable container. The best container is made of stainless steel, glass, or plastic kitchen ware. You can also use a thermic bottle, or natural terracotta pots. Strictly avoid aluminium, copper, brass, glazed ceramic and wood, which may release chemicals into the yogurt. The temperature should be sufficiently warm to allow you to keep one (clean!) finger into the milk for 10 seconds, and not more than that. When the temperature is just right, add one glass of fresh yogurt (125 gr), stir, cover and keep in a warm place for a few hours. When the milk has become thick, put the container in the fridge.
Make your own cottage cheese (panir)
You can prepare fresh cottage cheese from full cream milk. Heat 1 liter milk in a heavy pot (preferably stainless steel) and when it boils add the juice of 1 lemon, stirring gently. Remove from the fire and strain. Instead of lemon juice you can also use sour whey. Just put aside the whey (cheese water) after straining the solids and keep it in a plastic bottle with a tight cap at room temperature for at least 2 or 3 days (depending on the room temperature). Add as a curdling agent to the boiling milk, and let heat for a few seconds before removing the pot from the fire. The sour whey can be kept almost indefinitely at room temperature, provided it is in a clean bottle with a tight cap (so that the whey is not exposed to air or dust). The older it is, the less quantity will be required to curdle the milk.
The cottage cheese obtained in this way is called chenna, and it is very easy to digest. If drained for a longer time, it is called panir, and it can be used for many interesting recipes. The special characteristic of panir is that it does not melt with heat, so it can be grilled, roasted, stir fried or deep fried, yet it maintains its shape and texture. The same characteristic is shared by tofu (soya cottage cheese).
To drain cottage cheese into panir, drain the milk solids into a colander or a clean thin muslin cloth. Then put a small plate over it, and a weight on top, to press the liquid out. The easiest weight is a pot full of water. When the panir is hard and dry enough, remove it from the colander or cloth, and cut it in the desired shapes.
khoya (solid condensed milk)
Khoya is the home-made, original version of powdered milk. It is used in a number of Indian recipes for milk sweets, and can be kept almost indefinitely in fridge in an airtight container. It is the Indian equivalent of European aged cheese to preserve milk over a longer time and keep it handy for a number of recipes and occasions. The procedure is simple in itself but it requires some attention and skill. Put the milk (at least 5 liters) in a large pot: it should be larger than taller to facilitate evaporation. Heat constantly on a low fire Make sure that the milk does not overflow, and that the milk film does not cover the liquid milk: pull it aside with a spoon without letting it fall on the bottom of the pan. You may also remove the milk films gradually as they form, and then add them again towards the end of the process, when the milk has evaporated to the same consistency of the milk film. Keep simmering: the milk will gradually evaporate more and more, passing through the stages of:
- evaporated milk (about 1/2 of the original volume) - condensed milk (about 1/3 of the original volume) - thick condensed milk (about 1/4 of the original volume) - khoya (about 1/10 of the original volume)
When you have obtained about 500 gr of thick cream, let it cool well, then cut in pieces and transfer in airtight container in the fridge. You can grate or shred the khoya pieces when you need to use it.
You can make all kinds of cheese from milk, depending on the degree of acidity of the milk, the strength of the curdling agent, the temperature at which it is added to the milk, and the process of aging the cheese itself. To make melting cheese with the natural curdling agent (100% vegetarian) you need raw milk (non-pasteurized). However, you can make several kinds of cottage cheese with pasteurized milk, even after it has become sour. Just heat the milk to the boiling point to sterilize it, then strain the solids through a thin muslin cloth. You can use this fresh cheese for salad dressings, sweets, ice creams, soups, spreads and sauces.
Milk (especially full cream milk) and rich cheeses are not recommended in the following cases:
- very young babies (under 1 year of age) - gastro-enteric conditions - colitis patients - liver conditions - cancer patients (especially breast cancer) - high cholesterol patients - heart conditions - high blood pressure
Sweetened yogurt and ice creams are not recommended in the following cases:
- cold, excess mucus - cough, respiratory infections, flue - colitis patients - fever - abscess, boils, foruncles - difficult digestion - high cholesterol - heart conditions
Butter and clarified butter are not recommended in the following cases:
- high cholesterol - heart conditions - high blood pressure - obesity - slow metabolism - liver conditions
To counteract the side effects of milk and milk products, Ayurvedic medicine recommends to accompany them with the following ingredients:
- fresh or dried ginger - black pepper - red or green hot chili pepper - cinnamon - cloves - cardamom - nutmeg - buttermilk (thin salted yogurt, slightly acid)
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