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How to make Paneer
May 24th, 2008 filed under Miscellaneous, Paneer (Indian Cheese)
Paneer is a homemade Indian cheese. Paneer is used many different ways making desserts, appetizers and main course dishes.
Paneer (how to)
Ingredients:
- 8 cups (half gallon) milk
- 1/4 cup lemon Juice
Method:
- Mix lemon juice in half cup of hot water and put aside.
- Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
- As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
- Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
- Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
- To take out the excess water, press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about 1 hour.
Tips:
If paneer will be used to make any dessert dish:
- 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. After rubbing the paneer for about 15-20 seconds, you should be able to make a firm but smooth ball.
- For making sweets, paneer can be refrigerated for 1 to 2 days.
- Paneer from half-gallon milk will make about 15 to 20 rasgullas.
- I suggest 2% milk for rasgullas, rasmalai, chamcham or any other dish in that category.
- For sandaish, burfee or any other such dish use regular milk.
If paneer will be used for making main dishes:
- Before Pressing the paneer knead it enough so paneer is not crumbly.
- Press the paneer instead one hour, two hours making firmer.
- Cut the paneer to desired shape. Paneer can be refrigerated for a few days or kept frozen for months.
Variations:
- Add salt to the paneer, if you like with your choice of spices one or more, including black pepper, roasted cumin seed, chopped green chilies, chopped cilantro (Hara Dhania) or to your taste.
how do i make curd cheese?
Namaste Aunty,
What are some of the things we can do with the whey that we strained? It seems a shame to throw it away.
Thank you.
helo can you use 2% milk for making paneer?
Hi Lulu,
yes you can use 2% milk.
Hi Manjula aunty!
Please let me know how long the paneer can be stored.
Fresh paneer does not have any preservatives and will spoil fairly quickly. Keep it covered in the fridge for only a few days. Try to use it within one to two days of making it so the flavor and freshness are at its best.
unbelievable site!! Manjula aunty you are awesome!
Thankyou very much for this website . you have done a great work and my appreciation for your efforts.
THANK YOUUUUU for showing a loserkid from the midwest how to make all the great food she enjoys but can NEVER find(without driving for an hour) I LOVE your site and have tried many of your recipes and have enjoyed them all! Ill be trying this paneer recipe for the first time tonight and im sure that it will be smashing! i very much enjoy that you have videos to accompany the recipes! very helpful to actually see it done! Thanks again!
can i use any milk? like the ones that come in the cartons?.. pasteurized / commercialized ones… thanks
Dear Madame: I am a vegetarian and do not use milk or dairy products. Can this paneer be made with rice milk?
Your website is really precious!!!! I’m going to try palak paneer tomorrow but would appreciate your prompt on how to store the remaining paneer in the freezer? and do i thaw it before frying it or just leave it outside for a while? thank you so much.