Paneer is pressed cheese with the texture of pressed tofu, firm and a little rubbery, and a very mild taste. You can find it (fresh or frozen) in South Asian groceries, but you can also make your own. It holds it shape rather than melting when heated, so it can be simmered in sauces.
This recipe makes cloud-white cottage cheese, which is then pressed under a weight to make paneer. Perhaps the simplest type of unripened cheese, paneer is used abundantly throughout South Asia - and abundantly in my kitchen too.
My tips for pressing perfect paneer are these:
Choose full-fat milk, organic if possible; use clean utensils and pans; boil the milk over moderate heat; use as little curdling agent (such as lemon juice) as possible; stir gently; remove from pan from heat immediately after the milk has curdled; and press the cheese shortly thereafter.
{MAKES 16oz (450g) CHENNA & 12oz (335g) PANEER}
1/4 cup (63 ml) Water
12 cup (3 liters) organic milk, 4%
3-4 Tbsp. lemon juice, or as needed.
Bring the water to a boil in a medium-size, heavy bottomed pan over high heat. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to moderate and add the milk.
Cook the liquid for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching, until it reaches the boiling point. Add the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, gently stirring between additions. After 3 tablespoons, if them milk has not curdled, add the juice drop by drop. The exact amount of lemon juice you will need to curdle the milk depends on the fat content of the milk and how sour the lemons are. Use as little juice as it takes to separate the cheese. The whey should have a light greenish colour.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cheese with a slotted spoon to a sieve or colander lined with large, thin cotton cloth. Place a bowl underneath to collect the whey.
This cheese mass is called chenna, or soft cottage cheese. you can spread it on a sandwich with spices and herbs, or kneed into a silky smooth paste that looks like cream cheese. Chenna is used especially for making sweets.
Keep chenna in a sealed box in the refrigerator and use it within 2 to 3 days.
HOW TO MAKE PANEER
If you want to cut the cheese into cubes to be used in cooking, it must first be pressed under a weight. As such its called paneer.
When it is still warm and soft, turn the cheese out into a cheesecloth. Wrap the fold the edges of the cloth tightly around the cheese. Transfer the bundle to a clean patter or tray and place a weight, such as a pot filled with water on top of it for no longer than 5-7 minutes. This will force out any excess whey and leave the paneer firm yet succulent.
Paneer can be stored in a sealed box in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Tag me on IG if you try this out @everydaycommonplace