Chanar Payesh (Paneer Kheer)
Chanar payesh is a Bengali paneer kheer with reduced milk, crumbled chhena, cardamom and pistachios.
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40 mintotal
30 min hands-on10 min hands-off
Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- None
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop.
Allow 10 minutes to soften commercial paneer in hot water, then chill the finished payesh before serving if you prefer it cold.
Method
Pour the full-fat milk into a heavy-bottomed, wide pan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat and let the milk simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping down the sides, until it reduces to about half its original volume.
Add the sugar and cardamom powder to the thickened milk. Stir well until the sugar dissolves completely.
Add the finely crumbled paneer (chhena) to the boiling milk. Stir gently and simmer for just 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook after adding paneer, or it will become chewy.
3–4 min
Turn off the heat. The kheer will thicken further as it cools down.
Garnish with chopped pistachios. Let it cool down, then refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
How to tell it's done
The payesh should be thick and rabdi-like, with tiny soft paneer curds in sweet milk.
Getting it right
Tip
Add paneer only after the milk has reduced, then simmer briefly. Long cooking makes chhena rubbery.
What to serve it with
Serve chilled or slightly warm in small bowls with pistachios and saffron.
Common mistakes
- The paneer becomes chewy in the kheer.
- Drain it well and simmer it only for a few minutes after adding. Paneer keeps tightening in hot milk.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate chanar payesh covered for up to 3 days. Reheat gently if serving warm; freezing is not recommended because paneer turns grainy.
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