by Humaira
Ever since leaving Afghanistan 34 years ago, I would think back to the summer days in Paghman where my family would go for Friday outings to escape the Kabul heat. Paghman is only a short drive from Kabul but has very mild weather. Wealthy Kabulis would spend their summer days in their lush villas, have picnics in their beautiful gardens and swim in the rivers of Paghman.
Our summer holidays were filled with great food but my favorite was the afternoon snack of fresh cheese with raisins (kishmish paneer). A local Kochi-nomad woman would deliver the fresh panare which would be wrapped in a cloth. It would be served on a platter with black raisins, nuts and fresh fruit. My mouth is watering just writing about it.
My family never found an equivelant to Afghan panare in American, so we created our own recipe. The cheese is very mild in flavor and has a chewy mozzarella like consistency . The key to bringing the flavors out is the raisins. They are heavenly together. You can also have it on a cracker with a dribble of cherry preserve or honey. Many Americans who have tasted it feel that it needs more salt but traditionally this cheese has unrecognizable amount of salt. You can adjust the recipe to your own taste.
I hope you love this as much as I do.
Fresh Afghan Cheese
Kimish Panare
1/2 gallon of one percent milk
1/2 gallon of buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. of salt
Cheese cloth (Whole foods, Bed Bath & Beyond)
Round deep colander
Raisins
This recipe can be doubled.
In a large heavy pan heat the milk on medium heat. While waiting, cut the cheese cloth to fit the colander and have some of it drape off the side of the colander. If the mesh on the cheese cloth is not very fine, lay 2-3 layers.
Just when the milk starts to boil (don't burn the bottom) remove it from heat. Add the buttermilk and salt. Stir for 1 minute. Set the colander in the sink and slowly pour the contents of the pot into the colander. Make sure that the cheese cloth doesn't slide off the sides of the colander. The milk will curdle and the liquid will drip out of the colander. Scrape the side of the cheese cloth to speed up the drainage of the liquid.
The contents will reduce slowly. Grab the side of the cheese cloth and tie with with a clip or a rubber band. Continue squeezing the cheese cloth until there is barely any water squeezing out but it should still feel moist otherwise the cheese will be too dry. By now the cheese should be the size of a large softball.
Put the cheese in the cheese cloth with a bowl lined with two layers of paper towel. Leave it in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until it is solid.
Take the cheese out of the cheese cloth, cut in 1/4 inch thick slice, serve with black raisins.
Mixtured poured into the cheese cloth in the collander
Cheese is ready to be unwrapped
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HI Sylvia,
I've not ventured into using Buffalo milk. If you find some, please let us know how it tastes.
Best,
Humaira
Posted by: Humaira | 10/24/2014 at 11:04 AM
Thanks, I will definitely try it. I have made yoghurt cheese and enjoy that too. Wish I knew where to get buffalo milk, that would be fabulous too!
Thank you, Humaira
Posted by: Sylvia Dickinson | 10/14/2014 at 06:04 PM
A cheese I will definitely be trying out soon; I hate it when cheese is too salty and often end up desalting it in water, which takes hours. This looks fantastic, it is easy to make as well. Long Live Afghanistan :)
Posted by: TasteofBeirut | 04/11/2014 at 12:28 AM
I love that idea. Let us know how it turns out.
Katie
Posted by: katie | 08/30/2010 at 05:59 PM
I made this today and it is oh so good. Thank you for the recipe!
Next time I think I'm going to try putting the raisins and nuts through the food processor with a little oil and making a spread to top the paneer with.
Posted by: Lynn | 08/29/2010 at 07:49 PM
Dear Maria,
I have not tried the Pakistani cheese. I would love to try it. Are there stores in the Bay Area whiere I can purchase it? In Pakistan do they eat the cheese with raisins? Once I made this cheese for a friend and her husband,he swore it tasted like a kind of cheese he ate in a remote part of South America. I love how food ties us all together.
Keep cooking,
Humaira
Posted by: Humaira | 08/12/2010 at 09:13 PM
Humaira, have you tried store bought Pakistani paneer? That might be very close to the paneer you mention here (the recipe looks almost the same, only difference being in Pakistan buffalo milk is more prevalent as compared to cow's milk). I think even the Indian paneer (from the northern Indian states) might be pretty similar.
Posted by: Maria | 08/08/2010 at 10:06 AM
I hope we are able to shed some light on Afghan culture in this blog. My work through my non-profit Afghan Friends Network (www.afghanfriends.net) has not only helped me reconnect with my culture but it has inspired me to educate my daugthers about Afghanistan.
Posted by: Humaira | 12/11/2009 at 08:46 PM
H, this is really lovely. I guess the milk that they used in Afghanistan cant really compare to the milk in the US. I love reading about your memories associated with Afghanistan. I have never visited Afghanistan, which is a tragedy. Our fam was driven out by the Brits, so we abandoned everything. I need my father and his family to make me feel I still belong to that culture. I feel sad that this culture may not be passed on to my kids, my husband is Pakistani and I dont know enough about my culture the way my father does....
lovely post, H. keep them coming with the stories.
Posted by: shayma | 12/11/2009 at 04:16 PM
Glad you like the site Rita. Thanks for the kind compliments.
Posted by: Humaira | 11/29/2009 at 10:06 AM
Loved introducing Mary to your site. I'm sitting here in Kansas reading the receipe. Love the photos and introduction...both very inviting and colorful.
Posted by: Rita Morris | 11/29/2009 at 09:25 AM