Leena Recommends

October

Piri Piri Cheese: An Indian Kitchen Favourite

Cheese is often associated with pizzas, pastas and sandwiches, but I believe it has an equally exciting place in the Indian kitchen. Our everyday food already has bold spices, contrasting textures and layers of flavour — which makes it a wonderful canvas for cheese.

This month, I recommend Mishti Gourmet Piri Piri Cheese, especially for those who enjoy familiar Indian dishes with a little twist.

What makes this cheese interesting is that Piri Piri is added to the cheese itself. It is not simply a plain cheese with flavouring added later to a dish. The chilli and spices give the cheese its own character, while the creaminess of the cheese balances the heat.

That makes it particularly easy to use in Indian cooking.

Grate it over a hot dosa or uttapam. Add it to a masala toast or stuffed paratha. Melt some into pav bhaji. Try it in a frankie or a grilled vegetable sandwich. Even a simple roti roll with vegetables can become something quite different with a little Piri Piri Cheese.

The idea is not to turn Indian food into Western food. In fact, it is quite the opposite.

I like using cheese as another ingredient in the Indian kitchen — just as we use paneer, butter, curd, herbs and spices. Used thoughtfully, cheese can complement the food we already love rather than change its identity.

And because the Piri Piri is already incorporated into the cheese, you don't need to do very much. Grate, melt or crumble it into the dish and let the cheese do the work.

For October, my recommendation is therefore simple: bring your cheese out of the sandwich and pizza routine and let it enter your Indian kitchen.

Leena Recommends: Mishti Gourmet Piri Piri Cheese

Try it this month in our Piri Piri Cheese Pav Bhaji.