Description
This homemade paneer recipe guides you through making fresh Indian cottage cheese using just milk and lemon juice. With simple steps to curdle, strain, and press the cheese, you’ll get soft, creamy paneer perfect for adding to Indian dishes like Palak Paneer or using in a variety of recipes. Making paneer at home ensures freshness and a rich taste without any preservatives.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 litres / 2 quarts full-fat milk (low-fat won’t work)
- 4 tbsp lemon juice (or substitute with white vinegar)
Instructions
- Curdle milk: Heat the milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it becomes foamy on top, just before boiling. Then turn off the stove, add the lemon juice, and stir for 1 minute to begin curdling. If the milk does not curdle, gently bring it back to a boil until the solids separate.
- Strain & remove excess water: Line a strainer or colander with two layers of cheesecloth and place it over a deep bowl. Ladle half of the curdled milk into the strainer, then pour in the rest. Let it drain completely, which takes about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Rinse paneer: Discard the liquid whey collected in the bowl. Bundle the paneer still in the cheesecloth and rinse briefly under cold tap water to remove lemon flavor and cool the cheese for easier handling.
- Squeeze out excess water: Twist and gently squeeze the cheesecloth bundle to remove excess liquid without forcing paneer through the cloth. Stop once no more liquid comes out; the paneer will remain soft at this stage.
- Press the paneer: Shape the paneer in the cheesecloth into a disc about 2cm thick. Place it in a strainer or colander over a bowl, then set a small plate on top and weigh it down with two 400g cans or similar weight.
- Refrigerate and set: Refrigerate the weighted paneer for 4 hours; during this time it will firm up and losing remaining liquid.
- Storage and usage: Carefully unwrap the paneer—the center may have a dent from draining, which is normal. Use it right away by cutting into cubes for recipes like Palak Paneer, or store the whole block in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Use full-fat milk for best results; low-fat milk will not curdle properly.
- You can substitute lemon juice with white vinegar if preferred.
- Be gentle when squeezing out excess water to keep the paneer intact.
- Pressing and refrigeration time is important to achieve firm paneer.
- Paneer can be stored refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cheese Making
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Homemade paneer, Indian cottage cheese, fresh paneer recipe, vegetarian, Indian cheese, homemade cheese
