Paneer Cheese

Paneer is a fresh cheese used in Indian food. It’s related to ricotta and is super easy to make at home and a lot cheaper than buying it. If you don’t happen to have a well stocked international market or Indian grocery nearby this might also be the only way you can get it for use in your favorite Indian recipes. Fortunately it only takes two ingredients and both are available everywhere. This is also a great way to take advantage if your grocery store marks milk down just before it expires. The cheese is best with super fresh milk, but it’s still pretty amazing made with slightly older milk as well.

Paneer Cheese
Yield: About one pound

Ingredients:
1 gallon whole milk
4 Tablespoons lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar

Directions:
Bring milk to a boil in a large pot. Boil for one minute, then turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Stir for 2-3 minutes until curds form and then let sit for 10 more minutes. Pour into a strainer lined with cheesecloth, muslin or a clean tea towel, collecting the whey that drains off and reserving for another use if desired. Allow curds to drain in the strainer until cool enough to handle, then twist up the ends of the cloth and squeeze out more whey. Form the cheese into a block and wrap tightly in the cloth and press between two plates or cutting boards under a heavy weight, such as a large cookbook or two. Allow to sit weighted for an hour or two. Unwrap and use immediately or store in the fridge for a few days. The texture will be softer and a bit more crumbly if used right away, it will firm up more if it sits in the fridge for a few hours or a day.