Reeta's Paneer (Indian Cheese) Milk Pudding
Paneer ki Kheer (Payesh)
This milk pudding comes from Bengal region of India. Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 litre milk for making paneer*
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 litre milk for milk pudding
- Sugar to taste, approximately half a cup
- A few strands of Saffron
- 1 tsp. illaichi (green cardamom) powder
- 7-8 blanched almonds, chopped
- 5-6 green pistachios, blanched and chopped
- *If you don't want to make your own paneer, you can use 200 gm. ready-made paneer, grated. However, fresh tastes best.
Instructions
- Boil 1 litre of milk in a pan. Once the milk comes to boil, add lemon juice, a little bit at a time, until milk curdles. Don't add lemon juice until milk has come to boil, or it may not curdle quickly.
- Once the cheese and whey separate, turn the heat off. Strain it through an old handkerchief or muslin, placed over a colander or large sieve. Discard water. The solid that is left is paneer.
- Wash the paneer with cold water, to get rid of lemon juice. Break paneer up with a fork and keep aside in a bowl.
- Bring second litre of milk to boil in a heavy bottomed pan. Simmer until reduced to half. Stir frequently to stop it from catching.
- Now add paneer to the simmering milk. Bring to boil again and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Add almonds, saffron, cardamom powder.
- Add and adjust sugar.
- Serve chilled.