Cooks Joy » Making paneer at home

Making paneer at home

Posted By Vardhini On April 13, 2011 @ 11:58 pm In Gallery,How to's,Indian,Kid Friendly | 5 Comments

Paneer is an Indian cheese and is made from milk. Now who does not love paneer? It is creamy, soft and mingles well with a lot of dishes. Paneer is rich in protein and calcium and is a staple in most Indian homes. Dishes made with paneer are a perfect accompaniment to naan/rotis.

Paneer freezes well and I have been making it in huge quantities so I always have a stash in the freezer when the paneer craving strikes . So now lets get to the recipe.

Ingredients
8 cups whole or 2% milk
3 tablespoons vinegar
Thin cloth to drain the paneer

Preparation

Bring the milk to a boil stirring occasionally so that the milk does not stick to the bottom of the vessel. Once it rises turn the stove off.

Add the vinegar a tablespoon at a time and keep stirring. Can you see the milk beginning to curdle? You willl start seeing chunks of curd floating. Keep stirring until you see the clear liquid(whey).

Lets drain the whey by pouring it into the colander lined with thin cloth.

This is how it looks when the whey is removed. Rinse this paneer with cold water to remove vinegar taste.

We have to get the remaining moisture out before using the paneer for our dishes. So we twist the cloth and squeeze out as much water as possible and then hang the paneer for 4-5 hours over the kitchen sink. This will let the remaining moisture to drip down. Keep twisting and squeezing the cloth so it forms a ball.

Look at the beautiful ball of paneer waiting to be used in dishes. Fresh paneer can also be used to make rasagulla a famous Indian sweet.

Tips
1. To easily cut it into cubes flatten the ball by placing something heavy on top. Few cans of beans or a mortar and pestle will do.
2. Lemon juice can also be used instead of vinegar for curdling.
3. If hanging the paneer above the sink is not possible then use the kitchen cabinet knob instead. Remember to use a vessel below to catch the drippings.Linking to Basics, Tips & Tricks.

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