Description
Paneer is the most common form of mild soft Indian cheese. Making your own at home is ridiculously easy and fun. Though, lookwise mine might not be a perfect match to those firm store bought paneer, but tastewise, was far better and fresh. Moreover the satisfaction that you gain after making something from scratch turning pretty good….. Priceless!!! Here’s a glimpse of my modest attempt.| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| 1 litre | Whole milk |
| 3 tbsp | Lemon juice |
Instructions
What do you need to make paneer????
1. Milk
2. Lemon juice
3. Cheese cloth or muslin cloth or clean thin kitchen towel.
4. Colander
5. Small Sieve would be wonderful but not really necessary.
How to make Paneer????
Take a heavy bottomed pot and warm the milk. When its about to boil, get ready with the lemon juice. When it actually boils pour the lemon juice immediately and stir gently until the curd separates. Here milk literally spits into 2 forms 1. a transparent liquid (whey) and 2. soft lumps of curd which is nothing but cheese. Everything happens very quickly, so be vigilant and wise, use a big pot to avoid a mess all over the stove.
Wrap a cheese cloth over a colander and place a bowl underneath. Pour the curled milk and strain. Do not discard the whey, use it for future prparations.
Collect the curd, run it under cold water for a couple of times, to give it quick rinse inorder to get rid of the lemonly smell.
Twist the gathered curd in the cheese cloth to strain and squeeze out, as much liquid as possible. After this stage you can either tie a knot and suspend the cheese, from a sturdy kitchen cabinet knob, placing a bowl underneath to collect all the extra liquid by squeezing gently or do as explained below.
I would like to place the cheese with cloth in a sieve and press out the whey with the help of a heavy object. Leave it for about an hour in the fridge, this way some more liquid would be released, just discard it. I pressed mine this way, as it seemed easier, but, you can always use your imagination and come out with something better.
Remove the cheese from the sieve (will look in circular shape) and cut into small cubes, but edges might tend to crumble and thats OK.
Voila!! you have fresh home made cheese from scratch. Use it the same day or refidgerate for upto 3 days. Fry the paneer pieces with little ghee or oil, if you wish to preserve little longer.
Notes
Related recipes
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/matar_paneer_0
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/paneer_butter_masala_0
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/paneer_makhani
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/matar_paneer_0
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/palak_paneer
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/kadai_paneer_3
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/paneer_bhurji_0
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/malai_kofta
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/matar_paneer_ki_potli_1
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/kadhai_paneer
Paneer sold at Indian stores looks much firmer(bcos it includes preservatives & corn starch) and whiter (as its mostly made from buffalo’s milk), a pack of 500 grams could cost around $6 to $7. This recipe yields about 250 grams (approx) of Paneer and might cost only a dollar and little energy.
Cheese cloth is available in most American grocery chains, look in the pots and pans section or under the bottling section where they sell glass jars, cans and lids. Usually each pack may have about 2 yards @ $2.
Whey is very nutritious, excellant source of protiens, vitamins and minerals. Use this while preparing chapatti instead of plain water or add as a stock for any gravy type dish.
35 Comments
how can one use starch in paneer making?
Tried exactly as per your recipe Mullai and the result was excellent, just in time for my kid's fav. paneer paratha.Thanks Mullai. Also wanted to add that , I didn't have any cheese cloth ,so I used two full sheets of bounty paper towel to wrap around the squeezed paneer and put it on a plate, under a heavy pan, in fridge for about an hour. The paper towel absorbed the remaining little whey from paneer and the paneer was firm and easily cut it in to cubes.
Anitha, that sounds like a good trick to squeeze out the excess whey, thanks for sharing.
Hi Mullai,
I am a new member.I tried paneer as per your approach and it came out good. But i got a little lesser quantity than what I see on the picture above before cutting the paneer though I used the same measurement of milk you had specified.. Will that be because of the amount of lemon juice? Anyways, I am happy that I was finally able to achieve the paneer at home. I will keep trying for perfection. Also, I am planning to make Paneer Butter Masala today. Hope that comes good too. The pictures you post are a lot helpful in achieving step by step approach to every dish.Thank you very much and really appreciate your work.
Dear Mullai, made paneer. Cameout well as shown in the picture. Thanx for teaching us how to make paneer at home…Ok my Rasagulla’s are in the gas…have to run
Hi Mullai, How to give links in Blue bold letters? can u tell me?
Kavi Akkz, copy the link/ URL and paste first. Then high light the URL/link & click the "link" icon. it will shop a box. Paste the URL at the first box and Click ok. Again click on the "link" and Paste it on the first box – click ok – its done….I figured out very recently only…Hope it helps..
Take care
Hi Manoo, Thank u. I got it now. Thanks again.
Hi mullai
can i use lime juice instead of lemon as it is easily available for me ?
thanks
I use both. Yet wait for mam's reply….
Store bought lime juices sometimes includes chemicals, so I'm not really sure. Sorry!
Hi Mullai,
Have prepared paneer now for several times using citric acid… got the best, firm, tasty and soft paneer…. today I made Rossogollas… came out delicious..
Thanks!!!
Raech
can we make paneer from spoilt milk??
I'm not really sure, but guess it would stink. Bcos, to make paneer, milk has to be boiled to the right stage and then curdled, anything before that stage could possibly stink. Anyways, not 100% sure and sorry for not being helpful.
Hi Mullai,
I tried this. It turned out firm paneer. Thanks a lot. I’m gonna make Rasmalai. Got an easy recipe. I have one more question. How long can we use the whey water if we refridgerate? So much whey water.
Better to finish off within 4 to 5 days not more than that.
Thanks. It’s gonna be waste.
the ingredient(Vanaspathi) that i mentioned it for mullu murrukku not for thattai,please reply me as soon as possible.
Thanks,
Viji.
hi Mullai,
Hats off to ur recipes first. for the thattai recipes u include vanaspathi but its not available here in NH, can we substitute butter instead.please reply me soon,plan to start my diwali recipe today.
Thanks,
Viji.
HI Mullai,
ofcourse your paneer is good. if u don’t mind can i give some suggestion? instead of milk we can use half & half, it gives us lots of paneer & less whey water.And next ,lemon or vinegar gives smell.If u use citric acid only 3 pinches diluted with little water .it’ll change the milk immediately.we can buy it in indian store.
ok mullai actullay i came here to see chicken biryani.i’m in hurry.see u later.bye.
kavi
Kavi, thanks for your suggestion, I'd definitely give it try.
Half and Half is costly comparing with whole milk. almost the double price.
Citra,
She is just giving a suggestion, try whichever works for you.
Hi Mullai,
I always expect this from you. The reason is I tried many times. I used a packaged lemon juice instead of fresh. But it’s not separating exactly. I know the whey should be transparent. But mine is kind of milks’s thickness. This means the curd does not separate fully. Am i right? Why does that happening?
I used whole milk (Vitamin D). Anything rings?
Citra, make sure the milk comes to a full boil and add the lemon juice immediately and stir, reduce the flame to low and stir for few minutes. Switch off and let it rest for another couple of minutes. This should work… to separate the curd from the whey. Adding the lemon juice before boiling might result in what you have mentioned. Full fat, full cream, whole milk with vitamin D should be fine.
Thanks Mullai!
May be. And I kept boiling after adding the lemon juice.
Anyway I’ll try ur instrns and advice. Planning to make Rasmalai too.
Hi Mullai..
Wonderful explanation..Even people who don’t wish to cook might, love to give an attempt when such step wise explanations with photos r posted..U r a very good inspiration for the new comers.Keep up ur good work..
Cheers
Radha Arvindh
Dear Radha,
Sorry for getting back this late, actually the server was down for more than 15 hours, and was helpless. Got restored this afternoon, and here we go again… with questions and comments… didn't get to peak into your new post, comments keep pilling with doubts, so got myself stuck with that. Anyways thanks for your appreciation… I'm totally flattered !!!
Hi Mullai…
Not a prob's at all..Frankly speaking I was glued towards my system checking out when would the server restart again b'se I was planning to post a recipe from yesterday but then couldn't.So the moment it started,I was totaly occupied..Mullai..take ur time ..b'se clearing public doubts is much more important than this..So next time even if u don't respond it's ok..I can very well understand ur situation..
So carry on with ur busy schedule..
Cheers
Radha Arvindh
mullai, One more doubt.How much vinegar can I use for One liter of milk? Do I have to dilute it with water before adding?
Anithu,
You need about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of vinegar and its not necessary to dilute it with water.
Mullai,
Can we use vinegar instead of lemon juice?
Anitha.
Of course, you can, use white distilled vinegar.
WOW,
Very good explanation.i could feel myself doing this..
hats off
Girija, try and let me know.