Chhenar Payesh / Paneer Kheer

Chhena/Paneer is a versatile ingredient. You can make endless things with it.  Be it different kind of starters, snacks, main course or desserts/sweets, you can never go wrong with Chhena/Paneer.  

Today's recipe is a Bengali dessert called Chhenar Payesh or Paneer Kheer.  I like quick desserts so tried to make an instant version of this dessert too and it came out to be so delicious.  I loved the creamy and melt in mouth texture of it.  
Its a no fail recipe that is so quick to make.  It was my first attempt to make this dish and I was so happy with the results.  Would love to make it again and again.

Here is the recipe for you.  Happy Cooking :)

Ingredients:

Fresh Chhena/Paneer	¾ cup (crumbled)
Milk	¼ cup
Condensed milk	2 tbsp
Sugar	3 tsp
Thandai powder	2 tsp
Milk powder	3 tbsp
Desiccated coconut	2 tbsp
To decorate
Honey	¼ tsp
Brown sugar	1 tbsp
Almonds	1 chopped lengthwise
Choco drop	1

Method:

• In a non-stick pan take condensed milk, milk, milk powder, desiccated coconut and sugar.  Mix them well and put the pan on stove.  Keep the heat medium.  Cook for 2 minutes and add crumbled chhena.  Mix well and cook till it gets a bit thick.  Add thandai powder and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  You can adjust the consistency by adding some more milk.
• Remove from flame and let it cool down.
• Meanwhile take the bowl/glass you want to serve the dessert in.  Brush the rim of the glass with honey.  Spread the brown sugar in a plate and dip the glass rim in it.  Coat it well with brown sugar and set aside.
• Take the prepared Chhenar Payesh and carefully fill the decorated glass with it.  Garnish the top with chopped almonds and choco drop.  
• Chill for 1-2 hours and serve.

Notes:

1. You can use packaged paneer too but for best results use fresh chhena/paneer.  
2. Instead of thandai powder you can use 2-3 crushed cardamoms or saffron.
3. Sugar level you can adjust as per your taste.
4. Desiccated coconut is optional but it gives a nice texture to this dessert.
5. You can also add your choice of nuts in it.

Homemade Cream Cheese

Cream Cheese Cream Cheese.. the name itself is enough to tempt the taste buds.. so creamy.  I had no idea about its taste till the day I made it at home as it was my heartiest wish to make my own cheese cake from scratch.  

The story goes like this that after seeing so many kinds of cheese cakes umpteen times on the internet, I was dying to make one at home.  Here in food stores I  had seen Cheese Creams but they were flavoured ones so my making cheese cake was getting postponed again and again. One fine day I decided to make it at home :)  Googled it and found a plethora of recipes and all were just the same as there is nothing to experiment with.  Simple milk curdling, making cheese and blending it with some milk or curd and your cheese cream is READY.  Incredibly simple.

I made yummy Mini Strawberry Cheese Cakes with it. (Recipe soon).  So here I am sharing my cream cheese recipe.  Do try it and make wonderful desserts with it like Tiramisu, Cakes, Tarts and so on.. not to forget my Cheese Cake :D  Happy Cooking :)

Ingredients:

Full fat milk      - 1 Litre

Lemon Juice     - 3 tbsp (strained)

Fresh curd        -  2 tbsp

Method:

• Boil the milk in a deep pan.  Once boiled, remove from the flame.  Add lemon juice and stir. 
• Slowly milk will start to curdle.  Mix again.  Let the milk completely curdle.  
• Strain through a muslin cloth or clean kitchen cloth and wash with the clean water to remove the lemony flavour.  Hang the prepared paneer for 20 minutes to get the excess water drained.  After 20 minutes, remove it from the cloth.
• Take the prepared fresh paneer and curd in a blending jar and blend to a smooth paste.
• Shift it to a muslin cloth or a strainer and strain it again.  Keep it in the fridge overnight.
• Use as per requirement.