How to make Paneer

Name: How to make Paneer
Total time: 37 s
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 1500 ml Full Cream Milk; 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice

Time2 Hr

DifficultyDifficult

Serves3

If you’re acquainted with Indian cuisine, you’ll definitely be familiar with paneer or cottage cheese. Paneer has many dishes under its banner, making it an important ingredient in the Indian kitchen. Whether you want to grill some paneer for a barbecue party or make a full-fledged main course out of it, this is an ingredient that will not disappoint you. Paneer has the reputation of being every v ... egetarian’s go-to dish. It sure does offer many delicious options - Malai paneer, Matar paneer, Kadai paneer, Palak paneer, you name it! Most Indian homes swear by this ingredient. It’s a hit with all, young or old, and with the amount of protein it has, it’s great for growing kids too. Paneer is something that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. From hot paneer parathas for breakfast to your preferred choice of paneer dish for lunch or dinner, you’ve got a dish for any time of the day. With simple recipes and short cooking times, paneer checks all the right boxes for both, new and experienced cooks. We know it’s easy to pick up a block of paneer at the supermarket. But when you can learn how to make paneer at home, why bother buying packaged ones? Treat yourself and your family to the taste of fresh paneer made from scratch. Wondering how to make paneer recipes? We bring you numerous paneer-based dishes though our website. When you make paneer at home, you know exactly what goes into your block of cottage cheese and you’ll never have to get store-bought paneer again!

Ingredients

Dry Grocery

Full Cream Milk

1500 ml

Other

Lemon Juice

3 tablespoons

Directions

Put milk in a heavy bottom pan & bring it to boil on medium flame. Keep stirring continuously to avoid burning the milk

Once the milk boils, turn the heat to very low and gradually start incorporating the lemon juice while stirring continuously but in soft motions. Stir till the milk starts to curdle. Once its curdled, do not over mix

Pour 2 cups of cold water into the curdled mix. This results in the paneer turning out to be softer. After pouring cold water, allow it to settle for a minute

Place a strainer over a bowl and place a clean muslin or cotton cloth in the strainer. Carefully strain the paneer through the cloth. The straining has to be done gently

Once done, gather all the corners of the cloth and tie a firm knot. Keep this placed in the strainer with a bowl below for the excess water to drain out

Place this in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Once done, carefully remove the paneer from the cloth and use as required

If its not being used immediately, store refrigerated in a container

Health Benefits of Paneer

Raw paneer or less indulgent paneer dishes can be a healthy snack for you. Here’s why: ● It’s rich in protein. If you thought paneer was all fat, you’re in for a surprise. Paneer’s nutrition value is high. It is dense in protein and can contribute to a significant portion of your daily protein needs with about 18g of protein every 100 grams. ● It’s a great source of calcium. Your bones and teeth stand to benefit from paneer. Its high calcium content can fulfill 8% of your daily recommended value of calcium. ● It could regulate blood sugar levels. The magnesium in paneer may help promote heart health and boost your immune system. High protein levels in paneer are believed to slow the release of sugar into your blood, lowering their level. ● May help with weight loss. Paneer is calorie-rich and protein-dense. It helps you feel full for longer, reducing untimely hunger pangs. The linoleic acid in paneer may also cause your body to burn more fat, helping you lose weight.

Success!

We hope you had fun making it! Enjoy the meal.

What Is Paneer?

Well acquainted with Indian vegetarian cuisines but fell short of your ideas on how to make paneer at home? Or trying to find out how to make soft paneer at home for your salads or firm paneer chunks for your paneer curries? If so, you have come to the right place! Paneer, as we all know, is an Indian cottage cheese made by adding a food-based acid to curdle milk. Homemade paneer is loaded with healthy fats, protein and is easy to make. Make paneer at home with very simple ingredients to make snacks or curries. Paneer is made by separating and straining the whey from the curdled milk. Whey is nothing but the liquid remaining after straining the curdled milk after using a food-based acid. It is different from Italian cheese as it does not require enzymes and other complicated processes to make paneer. Moreover, it holds its shape and does not melt upon heating like Italian cheese. It requires vinegar or lemon juice or a combination of both to prepare curdled milk. Homemade paneer does not require fermenting or the process of curing. Unlike other cheese made around the world, paneer does not require rennet or enzymes, and thus it is a portion of healthy vegetarian food. Paneer is a very important ingredient in the Indian kitchen. Paneer soft cubes can be used to prepare a variety of Indian dishes and delicious curries. You can grill it in a barbeque along with vegetables for snacks or prepare delicious options of full-course meals out of it.

How To Make Paneer At Home?

You can make paneer at home with three simple kitchen ingredients. They are whole milk, a natural coagulating agent like lemon juice or white vinegar and a pinch of salt. You can use both lemon and vinegar or can use either of the two. If you are thinking about how to make soft paneer at home, then try lemon juice to get a soft and buttery texture. On the other hand, using vinegar will yield paneer much faster due to quick coagulation. Make sure to heat the milk for a little longer to make sure the milk curdle separates once the acid is applied. You can add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice if the whole milk does not coagulate. Similar to other forms of cheese, paneer cubes taste better when refrigerated and stored for hours before being cooked. You can store it for 4-5 hours to get a soft and firm paneer cube for your curry recipes. For the best result, always choose quality whole milk from your local vendors or the market. It is essential to choose the best quality milk in preparing delicious and quality paneer. You can search on the internet how to make homemade paneer if you want to experience it first-hand.

Equipment and Process On How To Make Paneer –

You can use a clean muslin cloth or a kitchen cheesecloth to separate the curdled milk from the whey. You can even use a clean cotton towel or cloth, which can be cleaned and washed after each re-use. You will need a soup strainer or colander to strain the curdled milk from the whey before you toss it on the cheesecloth. You can use a weighing plate or a heavyweight item along with a container to press the curdled milk on a frying pan to remove extra whey from it. You may also need a small bowl or container to mix water, lemon juice, and vinegar. But, how to make paneer at home? Well, you can start making paneer by heating the whole milk on medium heat. Continue heating the milk till it starts to make small bubbles on the edge of the container. While the milk is getting boiled, use the small bowl to make a mixture of water, lemon juice and vinegar. You can then add this mixture to the milk and stir it. Let the whole mixture simmer until the whey separates from the curdled milk. Make sure not to overheat the milk as it may separate the fat from the milk and may not get good quality paneer. Once the whey gets separated from the curdled milk, let it subside for another 5-7 minutes. Now, use the soup strainer to strain the curdled milk from the whey and transfer it to the cheesecloth. Keep it for some time till the curdled milk cools down. You can then squeeze the extra water out of the curdled milk, tie a knot tightly, and put a heavyweight item or weighing plate on the cheesecloth by placing it on a flat container or frying pan. Keep it refrigerated for 4-5 hours to get soft and firm paneer. How to make paneer soft and palatable is a question often asked by food lovers. You can find many articles and videos on how to make paneer from milk; however, minute care needs to be taken while preparing it to get quality paneer.

Homemade Paneer Recipe -

Have you been thinking lately about how to make paneer at home? Well, paneer is tasty, simple to make in less time, and requires very fewer ingredients. So, why not seek out a simple homemade paneer recipe from the internet on how to make paneer from milk? Paneer recipes are simple, and you can try them at home with some ready kitchen ingredients in no time. Paneer is a versatile Indian food ingredient that goes well with any occasion. Not only that, it is the perfect ingredient that every vegetarian looks forward to in their food menu. Paneer can be savoured with many side dishes; however, the famous North-Indian desserts like Rasmalai go well after any full-course meal. Some of the popular paneer recipes include Paneer Korma, Shahi Paneer , Mattar Paneer , Paneer Bhurji , Kadai Paneer , and Paneer Masala , to name a few. This recipe for ‘how to make paneer at home’ gives you detailed information on ingredients and steps required to prepare it with perfection. Indulge in the versatile and humble South-Asian dish with your friends and families on almost all occasions. Paneer can be served in a variety of delicacies. While it is prepared mostly in the form of curries, it can also be served as grilled paneer as it goes well with grilled vegetables too. This soft cottage cheese is also a favourite among health-conscious people. It can be eaten as raw paneer chunks and can be tossed in salads as well. While soft paneer cubes are mostly used in salads, harder paneer chunks are used in preparing paneer curries. So, perfect the art of preparing and cooking paneer recipes with these simple processes and steps mentioned earlier. Make sure to include this all-time favourite vegetarian ingredient in your daily diet for the best results.