Serves: 6
Total Calories: 386

1/2 gallon milk
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 cups plain yogurt, whisked until smooth or 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
1 (2-foot square) piece fine muslin or 8-foot piece cheesecloth folded in 4 layers
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon black peppercorn, dry-raosted and coarsely ground
__Dry-Roasting Spices ..........Click the Edit tab and select this entry to learn more.
2 tablespoons fine plain bread crumbs
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature
1 to 3 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, stemmed

1. Place the milk and salt in a large, heavy pan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring gently. Just before the milk boils and the bubbles spill over, mix in the yogurt or the lemon juice and stir gently, until the milk curdles and separates into curds and whey (whey is translucent green in color), 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

2. Drape the muslin or cheesecloth over a large pan and pour the curdled milk into it. As you do this, the whey will drain through the muslin into the pan, and the curds will remain in the muslin. Once all the curds are in the muslin, pick up the muslin by all 4 corners and tie the 4 ends into a knot over the kitchen faucet. Let drain, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. While the cheese is draining, heat the boil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, the ginger, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the black pepper and bread crumbs and stir until the seasoning are dry but not scorched. Remove from the beat and spread the mixture evenly on a plate.

4. Transfer the paneer curds from the muslin to a food processor, then add the cream cheese and chili peppers and process until well mixed.

5. With lightly buttered clean hands, or using a piece of waxed paper, shape the cheese mixture into a ball, then roll the ball evenly in the bread crumb mixture, making sure it is well-coated. Keep it as a ball or press lightly with your hands to flatten it into a patty, an oval, a rectangle, or a log. Serve as you would any other cheese balls or spreads, such as with an assortment of crackers or with crudités.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 6
Total Calories: 386
Calories from Fat: 201

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Paneer Cheese
Basic Paneer Cheese Scramble
Crunchy Paneer Cheese Pâté
Curried Paneer Cheese and Potatoes
Curried Paneer Cheese with Peas and Potatoes
Grated Paneer Cheese with Minced Cauliflower
Griddle-Fried Paneer Cheese
Marinated Paneer Cheese with Ginger-Lime Pickle
Marinated Paneer Cheese with Saffron Yogurt Sauce
Nine-Jewel Paneer Cheese Curry
Oven-Bakes Paneer Cheese with Puréed Cilantro
Paneer Cheese Balls
Paneer Cheese Bites with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Paneer Cheese Chile-Fry with Crispy Ginger
Paneer Cheese Curry with Coconut Milk
Paneer Cheese Curry with Two Onions
Paneer Cheese Glazed with Puréed Tomatoes
Paneer Cheese Scramble with Apple-Ginger Chutney
Paneer Cheese Scramble with Morel Mushrooms
Paneer Cheese Scramble with Soybeans
Paneer Cheese Wedges with Chickpea Flour
Paneer Cheese Wraps
Paneer Cheese with Baby Spinach and Fresh Fenugreek Leaves
Paneer Cheese with Cauliflower and Broccoli
Paneer Cheese with Coconut and Corn
Quick Spinach with Crumbled Paneer Cheese
Royal Paneer Cheese Curry
Sautéed Paneer Cheese with Green Chutney
Seared Paneer Cheese in Lemon Cream
Seared Panner Cheese with Caper Sauce
Silky Paneer Cheese Curry with Red Chili Peppers
Spicy Diced Paneer Cheese with Ajwain Seeds
Spicy Peppered Paneer Cheese
Spinach with Paneer Cheese
Stir-Fried Paneer Cheese with Onions and Bell Peppers
Stuffed Paneer Cheese Balls in Creamy Tomato Sauce