Paneer is a famous homemade indian cheese, often referred to as cottage cheese. Paneer has a delicate, soft and crumbly texture, it is very milky and is used in curries as well as in desserts. You can always buy paneer from supermarkets, but wouldn't a homemade one be healthier? ...and easier? Once you do your own homemade paneer, trust me you're never going to use a store-bought one!
Equipment:
- Cheesecloth (or just a plain towel like I've used)
- Stove
Ingredients:
- 1 litre of milk
- 2-2½ tsp of lime juice [you could use cider vinegar/vinegar/lemon/'or curd']
Method:
- In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Make sure you keep stirring so that no layer forms on the surface and bottom.
- When the milk starts boiling, that is, it starts to bubble, add a teaspoon of the lime juice.
- The milk, at this point, should start to curdle. Keep stirring.
- Add another teaspoon of lime juice. The milk should now completely curdle. If it hasn't add 1/2 teaspoon of lime juice.
- When the milk has completely curdled, immediately remove the saucepan from heat [otherwise the curdled milk will harden] and pour the curdled milk in the cheesecloth set over a colander. Let drain.
- Bring the ends of the cloth together, tighten it and drain excess water. If it is too hot to handle, let cold water run over it [this also allow to get rid of the lime taste].
- To drain the maximum of water, place a heavy weight on the cheesecloth with the paneer inside. Let the weight rest for a good half an hour or more if needed.
- After half an hour, the paneer will be ready to be used.
- Cut into little cubes.
Note:
- The best quality milk will make better paneer. Use full cream milk to obtain softer paneer.
- You can freeze the paneer or preserve in a container with water for a couple of days.
- From 1 litre of milk I obtained 125g of paneer.
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