Kishmish panir is fresh white cheese eaten with raisins, and for Kabul families it was the taste of summer afternoons. On Fridays, escaping the heat in Paghman, in the hills west of the city, they would have fresh panir delivered wrapped in cloth by Kuchi women, the nomadic herders, and eat it with dark raisins, walnuts and whatever fruit was ripe, with a pot of green tea. Afghan families abroad rarely find anything like it in the shops, so many make their own, curdling hot milk with buttermilk and pressing the curds in cloth until the cheese is firm enough to slice. It is mild and barely salted. Serve it in thin slices with the raisins piled alongside.
Zone: Silk Road Table
INGREDIENTS
- 1 litre semi-skimmed milk
- 1 litre buttermilk
- ¾ tsp salt
- dark raisins (to serve)
- walnuts (to serve (optional))
- fresh fruit (to serve (optional))
METHOD
- Line a deep colander with two or three layers of muslin and set it in the sink.
- Heat the milk in a large heavy pan over a medium heat, and take it off the heat just as it begins to boil.
- Stir in the buttermilk and salt for one minute, until the milk separates into curds and whey.
- Pour into the lined colander and let the whey drain away.
- Gather the cloth, tie it, and squeeze until very little liquid comes out but the cheese still feels moist.
- Wrap the cheese in the cloth, set it in a bowl lined with kitchen paper and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours until firm.
- Cut into slices about 5mm thick and serve with raisins, and walnuts and fruit if you like.
NOTES
UK adaptation: Semi-skimmed milk and cultured buttermilk, sold in small pots in most supermarkets. Afghan kishmish, the long dark raisins, from Afghan or Iranian grocers; otherwise the darkest raisins you can find. Muslin or a clean thin tea towel for draining. Everything else widely available.
US adaptation: 1% or 2% milk and cultured buttermilk, as the source uses. Afghan kishmish from Afghan grocers or specialist sellers; otherwise Thompson or black raisins. Cheesecloth. Everything else widely available.
Cook’s note: Take the milk off the heat the moment it starts to boil, then stir in the buttermilk. Boiled hard, the curds turn rubbery.
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