Paneer Kheer is a delicious Indian sweet dish prepared with paneer (cottage cheese) and milk. It is a gluten-free milk pudding flavored with saffron and cardamom. You will be surprised to know that only 5 – ingredients are required to make this paneer ki kheer.
Paneer Kheer is very similar to popular Indian sweet ras-malai in taste and texture. Both are prepared with chenna (cottage cheese), and flavored milk.
In Bengali Cuisine, paneer kheer is also known as chanar payesh.
It is a fuss-free, easy to cook, and guaranteed delicious dessert recipe made without condensed milk.
Since I landed on this paneer recipe, it is a regular affair for any auspicious occasions or family dinner parties. And everybody absolutely loves it to the core.
Homemade vs Readymade Paneer
For making paneer kheer you can use either the readymade paneer or the homemade one.
Many authentic Bengali Chanar Payesh recipes suggest making paneer from scratch.
The cottage cheese prepared at home has soft, uneven lumps, and tastes absolutely mouth-melting once cooked in the saffron flavored milk.
Hence, I highly recommend using homemade paneer for this kheer recipe.
How To Make Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
Boil approximately one liter of milk over medium heat. Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low.
Next, add the juice of one lemon to the milk. While adding the lemon juice, make sure seeds of lemon do not get in there. Stir to combine the lemon juice in the milk.
Soon you will notice that the milk starts curdling. And the thick chunks of cottage cheese starts forming in the milk. Cook the milk for 5 – 10 more minutes so that the cottage cheese and whey (it is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled) are nicely separated.
Next, arrange the fine strainer over a deep bowl. Pour the entire curdled milk over the strainer.
Rinse the cottage cheese with running water to remove traces of lemon juices. Let it sit in the strainer for 5 – 10 minutes.
Homemade cottage cheese is now ready for making the paneer kheer.
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Paneer Kheer Recipe
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
Ingredients
- 1 Cup paneer (cottage cheese)
- 1 liter full cream milk
- 1/3 Cup sugar or to taste
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron strands
Instructions
- Combine 1 tablespoon of warm milk and saffron strands. Set aside.
- Crumble the paneer using your fingers. Do not make a fine mash of it.
- Heat milk in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the cardamom powder and allow the milk to simmer until it reduces almost half the original amount.
- Keep on stirring the simmering milk at regular intervals. Collect the cream (malai) from the sides of the pan and add it back to the milk.
- Once the milk has thickened and reduced in quantity, add the sugar and saffron. Stir to mix nicely.
- Now add the grated paneer in the milk and cook for 5 – 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Allow the paneer kheer to cool completely before keeping in the fridge. It is best served chilled.
- Garnish with sliced pistachio and almonds before serving.
- Serve Paneer Kheer chilled.
Recipe Notes:
- Full-fat milk is the best choice for making kheer or any other creamy Indian dessert.
- You can use readymade paneer (cottage cheese) to make the kheer. Make sure it is fresh and soft.
- Crumble the paneer so that it has tiny chunks. Do not grate or mash the paneer.
- Paneer Kheer is best served chilled. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours before serving or best overnight.
- You can store the leftover paneer kheer in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days. No need to reheat it.
- Do not leave paneer kheer at room temperature for more than 2 – 3 hours as it might spoil quickly because of paneer.
Nutrition
