Two easy-to-make recipes using cheese

Cheese is one of the most favourite and flavoursome foods in the world which is loved by millions of people. It is prepared by coagulating milk, and the flavour, texture, and shape of each variety would vary depending upon the kind of milk and other additives. Generally, cheeses are divided into soft, semi soft, semi hard, and hard according to their textures.

There are more than 2000 cheese varieties and it is estimated that around 21 million tons of cheese are produced around the world in a year. The high quality milk of cow, goat and sheep are usually used to make cheese. Feta, parmesan, mozzarella, cheddar, gouda and brie are the popular cheese varieties that are consumed by the people or added in various dishes. Mozzarella cheese, which is added in the pizza and pasta dishes were made by the Italians for the first time, while the feta originated in Greece and cheddar in Britain.

Cheese is available in cubes, slices, blocks and spread in the supermarkets and groceries around the country. A storehouse house of protein, calcium and phosphorous, cheese can be included in the diet of children. Cottage cheese or paneer is the most common cheese consumed in India, and it is extremely easy to make paneer at homes as well.

Here are two amazing dishes with cheese as the main ingredient:

1. Cheese balls

Ingredients

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

2 potatoes (cooked and mashed)

1 onion (chopped)

4 green chilies (chopped)

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

1/2 tsp lemon juice

Salt as required

Oil as required

Preparation

Heat oil in a pan

Add chopped onions and green chillies

Sauté well

Add the mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, lemon juice and salt as required

Mix well

Make small balls from this potato mixture

Place some grated cheese in the centre of each ball

In another pan, heat some oil and add the cheese balls

Deep fry until crisp and golden brown

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

2. Cheese pepper dosa

Ingredients

1 cup dosa batter

1 small onion

1 tomato

1/2 cup grated cheese

Crushed black pepper as required

Preparation

Heat the dosa pan and grease it with some oil

Pour the dosa batter and spread it

Sprinkle finely chopped onions, thinly diced tomatoes, grated cheese and crushed pepper on top of the dosa

Cook the dosa well and serve hot with coriander chutney.