Paneer Bhapa / Bengali Style Steamed Paneer

There is a debate as from where India learnt to curdle the milk and make cottage cheese out of it. Because if you look at the chronological food history of India you will see that cottage cheese is mentioned in no-where. Some says that cottage cheese was a Portuguese influence in the Indian cuisine. Even if you see the Puran and other texts, you will get the mentions of milk, ghee and butter but no curdling as to making chana or cottage cheese. Some says it was invented in Bengal and some says it was invented in the Puri Mandir. But there is no evidence of making cottage cheese or even of the sweets made from them in the menu of the Bhog of the Puri Mandir. Besides they considered milk as pure and pious, so curdling of the milk with lime or vinegar was obviously considered as an unholy action.

But now....who can say that cottage cheese is just a recent invention???Chana or cottage cheese was taken a step further and made into beautiful paneer.

Heat the oil.

Pour in the prepared mustard and poppy seeds paste.

Add the whisked curd, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.

Stir and cook them until oil starts ooze out.

Next add the cubed paneer.

Add chopped coriander leaves and slit green chillies.

Mix them together and put cover. Cook until the pressure cooker blows one whistle.

We steam a lot!! And since I have already did Steamed Prawns and Steamed Fish...it�s time for the paneer. We also do Steamed Chana where the unshaped scrambled fresh cottage cheese is steamed with salt, mustard oil, onions and chillies. Whereas Paneer Bhape is more like a mustard curry, prepared with mustard and poppy paste and yogurt. You can make this Bhapa Paneer in microwave also. Just prepare the paste and put them with the paneer in a steel or microwave proof box. Place it inside the micro-oven and bake for 25-30 minute at 250-300F. You can also place this box inside a pressure cooker. Put a rack inside the cooker on which you will place the box. Now pour water into the cooker upto � th of the hight of the box. Remove the venying bulb from the cooker and cook on medium flame 30-35 minutes.

Bhapa Paneer / Bengali Style Steamed Paneer

Serves 2

Ingredients:

125gm paneer � cut into small cubes

� th cup thick curd � whisked 

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

� - 1 tsp red chilli powder

A handful of chopped coriander leaves

4-5 slitted green chillies

Salt

2 tbsp mustard oil

Method:

In a grinder put together the mustard seeds and poppy seeds. Add in some water and make a smooth paste out of it. Once done scrape them out of the grinder and keep aside.

In a pressure cooker heat the mustard oil on medium flame.

Once the oil is hot enough reduce the flame to low and add in the prepared mustard and poppy seeds paste.

Add in the whisked curd, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.

Stir and cook the mustard and poppy seeds paste for 2 minutes or until the oil starts to ooze out from them.

Now add the cubed paneer pieces to them. Also add in the chopped coriander leaves and slitted green chillies.

Hold the handle of the pressure cooker and gently give it a good shake so that it mixes with all the good sauce.

Now put cover and cook them on pressure until it blows 1 whistle. In this case always use a small pressure cooker which takes way lesser time. Also overcooking will make the paneer all rubbery!!

Put off the flame right away and let the steam come out of the cooker naturally.

Now put off the lid and serve hot.

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Paneer Fulkopir Torkari / Bengali Cauliflower and Cottage Cheese Curry

One of the good things of childhood is that we love to eat foods in between their process. I loved teat fried dhokas before ma added them to the curry and fried fishes were my favourite before adding to the curry. So as per this rule we loved to eat raw paneer before frying and adding them to the curry.

In Kolkata Ma used to by Amul paneer and the come in sealed pouches. A large chunk of paneer stays inside those pouches and as a result the pouch always has a fat belly. Unlike my homemade paneer, Amul paneer has a slender, square polished body without any cracks here and there. And when Ma used to cut them with her sharp knife...my god...what beauty they used to become!! Small white squares of creamy heavenly bites. I loved to eat them raw. Just when mother cut them into pieces. Still now I do this thing. After making paneer when I remove the wet cloth from the slump of cottage cheese and prepare to slice them into pieces, I make a small cut for myself. What can I say!!! I love unseasoned paneer too!! This year I thought I would bring two pouches of Amul paneer from Kolkata to Abidjan...but amidst all other things I completely forgot about them.

Shallow fry the pieces of paneer.

Marinate the cubed potatoes with some salt and turmeric powder and shallow fry them until golden.

Marinate the cauliflower florets with salt and turmeric powder.

Shallow fry the cauliflowr florets until golden.

Temper the remaining oil afrter frying the potatoes, cauliflower and paneer with whole garam masalas.

Add the chopped tomatoes to them.

Cook the tomatoes till oil starts to separate and then add the minced ginger. Mix and cook for 1 more minutes. 

Add little water and add the spices. Cook for 2 minutes to ward off their smell.

Add the fried potatoes.

Add fried cauliflower florets, salt, sugar and water. Simmer till all the veggies are cooked and the gravy reaches your desired consistency.

When the potatoes and cauliflower is cooked from inside add the fried paneer pieces and green peas and simmer for 3-4 minutes more.

Taste and adjust the seasonings and put off the flame.

For Ma Paneer had only one use, when she made Niramish Paneerer Torkari. But then she started using paneer to the cauliflower curry as well. And you just need to try them yourself to realize how beautiful this combination can turn out.

Paneer Fulkopir Torkari / Bengali Cauliflower and Cottage Cheese Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower � cut into small florets

2 small potatoes � cut into cubes

A handful of green peas

200 gm cottage cheese / paneer � cut into medium cubes

2 -3 medium tomatoes � chopped

1 inch ginger stick � minced / paste

2-3 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

� cup oil

1 small cinnamon stick

3 green cardamoms

3 cloves

1 medium bay leaf

Salt

1 tsp sugar

Method:

Sprinkle some turmeric powder over the cubed potatoes and cauliflower. Rub them well over the cauliflower and potatoes and keep aside.

Heat half of the oil in a pan / kadai and shallow fry the paneer pieces in them. Once done take them out of the pan and keep aside.

In the same oil shallow fry the cubed potatoes and cauliflower until golden. Once done take them off the pan and keep separately.

In the same oil add the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamoms and bay leaf.

Saut� for half a minute or until the oil becomes aromatic and then add the chopped tomatoes to them.

Saut� and cook the tomatoes till the tomatoes are cooked and the oil starts to float on top.

Add the ginger paste and mix in.

Next add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.

Mix them with the cooked tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes to ward off the smell of the spices.

Then add � cup of water and cook the curry through until all the water evaporates and the curry thickens in consistency. Do stir frequently during this time to create a smooth gravy and avoid any kind of burning.

Now add 1 and � cup � 2 cups of water according to your preference of the gravy.

Add salt and sugar.

Then add in the fried potatoes and cauliflower.

Give them a good stir and cover to cook them completely. It will take 6-8 minutes on medium flame as they are already half cooked from frying.

After 6-8 minutes open the cover and see whether the potatoes and cauliflower is cooked from inside. If not keep them cooking till they are done.

After that add the fried paneer pieces and green peas to the curry and mix them in. I have used frozen green peas. If you are using fresh green peas then add them a little earlier as they take a little time to get cooked.

Simmer on low for another 3-5 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings and put off the flame. 

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