Paneer is a typical fresh cheese of Indian cuisine, also called Chhena, and is usually made at home in very little time. It is added to many vegetarian recipes such as Palak Paneer or in meat-based dishes like Paneer Tikka Masala, or in soups.
Milk is a very common ingredient in the local cuisine, and it is traditional for women in India to work dairy products directly in their kitchens.
It is prepared quickly, in about 2 hours the block of fresh cheese is ready to be used in recipes.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Portions: For a cheese of about 150 g (5.3 oz)
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 cups whole milk (preferably fresh)
- 2 3/4 tbsp lemon juice (strained (about 40 g))
Preparation
1 – Put the milk in a pot with high sides and let it simmer over medium-low heat until small bubbles begin to form all around the edge of the pot.
2 – Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon and strain it with a fine sieve to remove any internal membranes and seeds. Then pour the lemon juice into the milk and stir.
3 – Do not turn off the heat yet, let it simmer on low for another 5 minutes. You will see the milk separate into curds and whey. Then turn off the heat.
4 – Place a cotton muslin cloth over a colander to use as support, and strain the curd.
5 – At this point, pour about 2 cups (16 fl oz) of cold water over the cheese mass; this will help remove the slight acidic taste of the lemon.
6 – Fold the muslin cloth over itself like a little bundle and let the whey drain from the cheese. This will take about 30 minutes.
7 – Now place the bundle on the table, open it, press the cheese to compact it, close the cloth again and let it firm up for at least 1 hour.
8 – Finally, you can open the package and cut the paneer to the size you prefer.
STORAGE: The fresher the paneer, the better it tastes. It keeps for 4-5 days in the refrigerator if left submerged in water (change the water every day), just like tofu.
Flavored paneer? Why not! Add a little cumin, black pepper, chopped green chiles or fresh cilantro. Or maybe just a pinch of salt. Mix the spices into the paneer after draining the whey.
