How to Make Paneer at Home
As time has gone on, life has gotten exponentially more expensive. Inflation has caused many food items to go up in price. So enjoying simple foods like cheese or bread has become quite a pricey endeavor.
But did you know that you can make a lot of these store-bought goods at home? Cheese, bread, and most other foods can actually be made at home. In this case, I am going to go over how you can make Paneer at home. It is far easier than you might think!
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in and get started!
What Are You Going to Need?
There are inevitably going to be a few things that you need to make a delicious batch of Paneer.
There are a few pieces of equipment that will make your life easier while you are making Paneer. I have listed everything below:
- Colander
- Fine Cheesecloth or Butter Muslin Cloth
I have listed the ingredients you will need down below:
- Whole Milk – 8 cups are needed for this recipe.
- Lemon Juice – You will need 6 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar.
With just these three ingredients you should be well on your way to making your own delicious Paneer!
Step-By-Step Instructions on How to Make Paneer
At this point you should have everything you need to get started with your Paneer. Now all you need to do is follow the instructions we have laid out below:
Step 1 – Heat Up Your Whole Milk
To start, you will need to pour your milk into a big pot and allow it to come to a boil on a medium heat. It might be a good idea to cover the pot to allow the milk to heat up quicker.
Take care that your milk does not burn while you are doing this. It is essential that you remain alert while you are waiting for the milk to start bubbling.
Step 2 – Add Lemon Juice to the Boiling Milk
When your milk has started to boil, add your lemon juice to the pot. If you have opted to use vinegar instead, we recommend adding about 1⁄4 cup of water into the mix. This will take the intense flavor of the vinegar.
Step 3 – Stir Your Milk then Allow it to Cool
Stir the contents of the pot for a while. Once the milk has curdled, take it off the heat and allow the milk to cool for between five and ten minutes. If your milk does not curdle within one minute, you can add another tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
Step 4 – Strain Your Curds
Prepare a colander over the sink and place a cheese cloth over the top to line it. Pour the contents of your pot into the colander and rinse your curds with cold water.
This process is supposed to help clean off the lemon juice or vinegar. But that is not all, the cold water helps to cool the curds which makes it easier to squeeze them after you have thoroughly rinsed them.
Step 5 – Squeeze Out the Excess Water
Pull the corners of your cheesecloth together and twist it. This should help squeeze the soft cheese and get rid of the excess water. At this point, your paneer should be cool enough to handle without burning yourself.
Step 6 – Shape and Press the Cheese
The next step is to shape your cheese into disks and then press the cheese. You can use a cheese press to simply weigh down the cheese with a stack of plates. Your paneer should be pressed for between one and two hours.
Step 7 – Store Your Cheese and Use As You See Fit
Once your cheese has been pressed, simply store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Make sure that it is being stored in an airtight container if you have elected not to freeze your cheese.
A Few Great Paneer Recipes
For those of you that might need a recipe to follow with a bit more detail, this section is going to be perfect for you. I have found three recipes which I thought were the best, make sure to check them out below to learn more:
- Swasthi’s Recipes – If you want to check out an authentic paneer cheese recipe, check out this site.
- Healthy Nibbles – This is a very simple step-by-step paneer cheese recipe that shows you how to make this traditional Indian cheese at home.
- BBC Good Food – If you need an alternative recipe, BBC Good Food is always a solid choice. These recipes always come up aces.
There are many great cottage recipes online, if you want to find something a bit different, you are sure to find something that will suit you. But the three recipes I have listed above are really amazing.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully you have enjoyed reading this article and learning about how you can make Paneer at home. It really is super easy to do. Just make sure that you have all the right ingredients and the equipment. With those two things, you should be able to whip up a decent and delicious batch of this famous cheese.
With all of that said, if you have enjoyed reading this article, and learning about making this tasty cheese you should absolutely check out our website. We have a wide range of fantastic homesteading and self-sufficiency articles available for you to peruse. From how to make Mascarpone to how to make homemade Cottage Cheese and everything in between.
Thanks for reading!