Paneer is one of the cheeses that every curd lover should try at least once. A star ingredient in some of the best-tasting Indian dishes, it’s a delicacy you rarely tire of. Having a full stomach doesn’t seem to make a difference: you’ll still want to put another piece in your mouth. You can buy Paneer in stores and use it in homemade curries, but nothing beats making it from scratch. Here’s how to do it in less than 30 minutes.
Will need:
• ½ gallon of whole milk
• ¼ cup lemon juice or vinegar
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt
• 4-quart skillet sauce
• slotted spoon
• Strainer or colander
• Mixing bowl
• Cheesecloth, pecan bag, or other straining cloths
• Food dishes
• Weights, such as a 32-ounce can of tomatoes
Addresses
• Pour milk into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring this to a simmer, to around 200°F. Stir occasionally and scrape down the bottom of the pot so the milk doesn’t burn. Once it’s done, the milk will start to look foamy and steamy.
• Remove the milk and add the lemon juice. Stir and the milk will begin to curdle immediately. It’s not a problem if this doesn’t happen right away.
• Cover the milk and let it stand for about 10 minutes, to give the acid in the lemon time to separate the curd from the whey. After that, you will have a yellow watery liquid. If it has not completely separated, another tablespoon of acid can be added. If that doesn’t work either, make sure you didn’t use non-UHT milk.
• Place a strainer over the mixing bowl, cover with cheesecloth, then scoop out the curds and pour into the strainer. Squeeze so the whey collects in the bowl below.
• Open cheesecloth and add half of the salt in a fine pinch. Stir the curd gently and add more if necessary.
• Transfer the curds to a large plate and press them into a rough square. Fold the cheesecloth tightly around this so that you have a rectangular shape. Place another large plate on top of this one to make it weigh more. Press and hold for 15 minutes to an hour.
• Refrigerate Paneer after pressing. This can be done for up to two days. This makes the curds firmer, which means they won’t fall apart as easily as fresh Paneer.
That was about how to make Paneer at home. It’s one of the most textured curds you can make, and you’ll thank yourself for learning how to make it.