Make Paneer (Indian Cheese)

Paneer is a type of cheese indigenous to the Indian subcontinent that is called for in many Indian recipes. It is easy to make and since it does not require the use of rennet, it's completely vegetarian. To make it yourself, all you need is milk, an acid (like lemon or lime juice) and these instructions. Also you need a cheesecloth.

Ingredients

 * 1 L or quart of 3.8% whole cow milk
 * 3-4 tbsp of an acid; lemon juice is used in this example but you can substitute with lime juice, vinegar, or leftover whey from a previous batch of paneer

Steps

 * 1) [[Image:Paneer_342.jpg|thumb]]Bring the milk to a temperature just below the boil then turn off the heat.Just like 80`C.Temp.
 * 2) Add lemon juice,OR citric Acid 5 ml (one teaspoon) at a time and keep stirring the milk after each addition, until the milk separates; the solid curds will separate from the green watery whey.
 * 3) [[Image:Paneer_in_the_Cheese_cloth_887.jpg|225px|right|thumb|Water being drained out thru the Cheese cloth]]Allow the curds and whey to cool for a half hour (or until still warm, but at a temperature you can handle), then strain through cheese cloth in a strainer. You may wish to save some or all of the whey; it can be used to make your next batch of paneer, producing a slightly more tender cheese than lemon juice. Rinse the curds with fresh water.
 * 4) [[Image:Paneer_281.jpg|thumb|Paneer after being squeezed in cheese cloth]]Wrap the cheese cloth on itself in order to squeeze out moisture from the curds. The more you squeeze, the firmer the resulting paneer.
 * 5) [[Image:Paneer_836.jpg|thumb]]Shape the paneer, still in the cheese cloth, into a block, wrapping it tightly with the cloth. By putting a cutting board or something heavy and flat on top of the paneer, you can force out more moisture, and make it into a firmer block, suitable for slicing and frying. To get a more rectangular shape, tie a knot and place the cheese cloth bundle in a box without closing it. Place something heavy like a pile of books or a brick on the cheese cloth to press down and give the cheese the box's shape. The longer you press the cheese, the firmer it gets. Not all Indian dishes requires cheese to be made into solid blocks. Stuffed Paneer Naans for example require cheese to be loose.
 * 6) Soak the block of cheese in chilled water for 2-3 hours This is optional, as the intention is to improve appearance and texture.
 * 7) Use as directed in your recipe.

Tips

 * A softer version of this cheese can be substituted in some but not all recipes calling for farmer's cheese or ricotta.
 * You may end up adding more than 15 ml (1 Tbsp) of the acid before the curds separate from the whey.
 * The more fat content in the milk, the better output. Paneer made from a high fat content milk will be tastier.
 * If cheese cloth is not available, use a cloth diaper (nappy) instead.
 * [[Image:Paneer_Maker_319.JPG|thumb|Paneer Maker]]Paneer maker can be used to get the paneer cubes.

Warnings

 * Do not use old or spoiled milk to prepare the paneer.
 * Zero fat or skim milk does not work out well with this method.
 * Keep stirring the milk while it's becoming hot to prevent it from getting burnt at the bottom.

Things You'll Need

 * Heavy bottom pan which can hold up to 1.5 to 2 L
 * Cheese cloth
 * Something heavy to weigh down the cheesecloth

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Make Palak Paneer
 * How to Make Paneer Makhani (Indian Cottage Cheese and Butter Based Dish)
 * How to Make Paneer Jalfrezi
 * How to Make Ricotta Cheese