Paneer (sometimes spelled panir, as it is written in Hindi) is an Indian cheese, similar to a dense ricotta cheese, that is pressed into bars and usually diced into cubes for addition to various recipes. Because it does not melt, it can even be stuffed into breads, or grilled tandoori style. If new to paneer, try throwing it into a recipe that calls for cubes of tofu. The results are tasty!
Why Make Paneer at Home
Making paneer at home results in the freshest, tastiest cheese for any recipe. The process is not difficult, but the timing is precise. It is sometimes made with milk and lemon juice, but a cook can obtain a greater yield of cheese by using whole milk and plain yogurt. The paneer making process is simply to boil the milk and add the yogurt, watch it curdle, and strain the curds out and press them.
Ingredients
- 6 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
Supplies
- Colander or strainer
- Cheesecloth
- Kitchen twine
- A very large heavy pot
Directions/Process
- First, find a place for the paneer to drain. Line the colander or strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it it in the sink.
- In a very large pot, at leave 5 quart, bring the milk to a boil over medium high heat. This is the tricky part. The pot has to large, because the moment the milk comes to a boil, it will rise quickly and, with a small pot, there is a risk that it will froth over.
- While the milk is heating, stir continually to keep the milk near the bottom of the pot from burning. If it burns, immediately transfer the milk to another pot, and the paneer may still be saved.
- The moment the milk starts to boil, add the yogurt to the pot and gently stir.
- The foaming milk will break into clouds of curds floating in an almost clear, greenish liquid (the whey).
- At this point, remove the pot from the heat and pour the contents of the pot into the cheesecloth lined strainer or colander. This drains the whey and leaves behind the tasty curds.
- Let the curds sit until cool enough to handle.
- When cool enough to handle, pull the edges of the cheesecloth together and squeeze the excess liquid out to form a ball.
- Twist the cloth near the top to squeeze even more liquid out. When the cloth is tighly formed around the paneer, tie it with the twine and let it hang from the faucet of the sink for 30 minutes to drain off any excess liquid.
- The final step is to press the cheese. This increases the firmness and ensures that it can be cut into cubes. Place the ball of cheese inside a frying pan and another smaller pan or plate on top of the cheese. Then, balance a very heavy object on top of the second pan, such as an iron teapot or a full bottle of wine. Let it sit pressed for another 30 minutes.
Finally, unwrap the cheese carefully, so as not to crumble it (unless the recipe calls for crumbled paneer, which is great stuffed into bread or on salads or pizza). Cut the paneer into cubes and store in a sealed container and store in the refrigerator until needed for a maximum of 3 to 4 days. It can be stored for several months in the freezer.
Making paneer at home can be rewarding and tasty, so give it a try!
Alia Luria - Alia Luria began her career as a web designer and developer in 1997. She worked for a series of internet-based companies and experienced ...
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