Paneer

Paneer David Bleckmann
daveb@joyofcheesemaking.com
http://joyofcheesemaking.com
When I first began cooking for myself, Indian food was one of my favorite cuisines. Indian curies were easy to
make and very tasty. My favorite dish was Mutter Paneer, or green peas and Indian paneer cheese. I would always
buy paneer from an Indian grocery because making it seemed to difficult. Now that I make cheese all the time, I
realize paneer is one the of the easiest cheeses to make.
Search the web for a Mutter Paneer recipe to see if you like it as much as I do.
This recipe was adapted from a version found on the home cheesemaking website cheeseforum.org.
Equipment:
One non-reactive stockpot large enough to contain the amount of milk with which you are working (1-2 gallons
equals 4-8 quarts).
Slotted spoon or ladle.
Kitchen thermometer.
Cheesecloth.
Colander or kitchen sieve.
Ingredients
1 gallon of whole milk.
5 ounces of lemon juice diluted in 1 cup of water, or 6 ounces of yogurt, whisked so it is liquid and will distribute
evenly.
Method
Heat the milk slowly over a medium burner until just boiling. Stir slowly to prevent scorching on the bottom. When
boiling point reached, turn down heat so boiling subsides.
Add lemon juice and stir to distribute. Milk to separate into fluffy curds and watery whey. Turn off heat. If curds do
not separate, add more lemon juice.
Wait about 10 minutes for curds to settle.
Ladle curds into a colander or kitchen sieve lined with cheesecloth. If using store bought cheesecloth, you may
need to use double or triple layers.
Let drain until the curds are just dripping slowly, about 15 minutes.
Bring the cheese cloth corners together in a ball. Place on a surface where it can continue to drain, and place a
heavy weight (about 5 pounds) on top of the cheesecloth.
Let the curds continue to drain and mat together until firm, about 4 hours.
Paneer can be refrigerated for up to two weeks, or be frozen for up to six months. If freezing, it is good to slice the
cheese into flat slabs so it is easier to thaw. Freeze in sizes that you will use in one recipe.