How to make Paneer at home step by step with photo - Paneer is a homemade Indian cheese. Paneer is used many different ways making desserts, appetizers and main course dishes.

How to make Paneer at home step by step with photo - Paneer is a homemade Indian cheese. Paneer is used many different ways making desserts, appetizers and main course dishes. It is generally called chhena or cottage cheese made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice, vinegar, or Yogurt.

Preparation Time: 50 Minutes
Cooking Time: 15 Minutes
Serves: 200 to 250 grams

Ingredients:

• Milk - 1 liter
• Lemon juice or Vinegar or Curd/Yogurt - 1/4 cup

Other Required thing:

• Strainer
• Cheese cloth or muslin or a thin cotton napkin/handkerchief
• Heavy weight

Methods:

1. Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.

2. When the milk comes to a good boil, add the diluted lemon juice or curd gradually and stir the milk gently. Using curd for curdling milk yields the best soft paneer, but lemon juice or vinegar can also be used. I used lemon juice. (To make diluted lemon juice, mix 2 tbsp lemon juice with 2 tbsp water and stir. Use only as needed.


3. As soon as you see milk curdling, switch off the stove. If the milk does not curdle within a short while, add little more lemon juice. Make sure the milk curdled well before you switch off the stove. Pour ice cold water or add ice cubes to stop the paneer from further cooking. This way it stays soft.

4. Place a colander over a pot, layer it with a thin muslin or cotton cloth. A thin handkerchief works well too. Gently rinse under running cool water to remove the lemon flavor. (If you have used yogurt, no need to rinse the paneer.)

5. Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey (watery liquid).

6. Place it on a plate and keep a heavy weight on top of the cheesecloth for 30-40 minutes. The paneer would be set.

7. Once warm or cooled cut paneer into cubes or any shape.

8. You can also refrigerate the paneer. Keep it in an air tight container. Paneer stays fresh for 3-4 days. For making sweets, paneer can be refrigerate for 1 to 2 days.

NOTE:

For Making Dessert from paneer:

The most important part of making paneer for dessert is how much water to take out from the paneer. To check if right amount of water is out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer on your palm and rub with your fingers. It should be crumbly and little moist. If it is too dry, Rasgulla will turn hard and if it is too soft, they will break while cooking. After rubbing the paneer for about 15-20 seconds, you should be able to make a firm but smooth ball.



How to make Paneer at home step by step with photo:

1. Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.

2. When the milk comes to a good boil, add the lemon juice or curd gradually and stir the milk gently.

3. As soon as you see milk curdling, switch off the stove.  Make sure the milk curdled well before you switch off the stove. Pour ice cold water or add ice cubes to stop the paneer from further cooking. This way it stays soft.

4. Place a colander over a pot, layer it with a thin muslin or cotton cloth. A thin handkerchief works well too. Gently rinse under running cool water to remove the lemon flavor.

5. Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey (watery liquid). Place it on a plate and keep a heavy weight on top of the cheesecloth for 30-40 minutes. The paneer would be set.

6. Once warm or cooled cut paneer into cubes or any shape.