Editor's note: These instructions are excerpted from Julie Sahni's book Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking. Sahni also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
Indian cheese (paneer) is a delicacy all Indians—particularly vegetarians—love. Popular all through the north from Bengal in the east to Gujarat and Punjab in the west, paneer is cooked in an onion-and-cumin-laced spinach sauce. I add sweet red peppers, as the brilliant red peppers and ivory-white cheese pieces look stunning against the glazed moss-green sauce.
• Indian cheese is available at many Indian markets. To make it from scratch: Bring 8 cups whole milk to a boil. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and reduce heat. Keep liquid at a gentle boil until white curd separates from yellow whey, then remove from heat and pour through a colander lined with cheesecloth. Hold colander under cold water and rinse the curds, then gather corners of cheesecloth together and twist to remove excess liquid. Hang the bundle to drain for an hour, then place it on a work surface and weigh it down with a heavy object (such as a large pot filled with water) for half an hour. Remove the cheesecloth and cut the cheese into small cubes. Keep refrigerated, submerged in water, until needed, up to 4 days.
• Garam masala, an aromatic north Indian spice blend that includes cinnamon and cloves, is available online at www.ethnicfoodsco.com.
