How to make paneer
Paneer is a traditional soft cheese and a very important part of the Indian cuisine. It has a simple, fresh, flavor and easily absorbs and adapts to the flavors of other ingredients used in a dish, as a result, it is very versatile, which makes it highly useful to make dishes from curries to dessert.
Paneer is made by curdling milk with an acid such as lemon juice. It is also known as Chhena.
Paneer is often used in curries since it absorbs flavor very readily. When sliced into cubes and deep fried, the cheese tends to hold its shape very well. Paneer can also be used as crumbled into a curry and making sweet desserts like Rasgullas and Rasmalai.
While most people buy paneer from the store, but homemade fresh paneer is far superior in taste. Making paneer at home is as easy as boiling the milk. It can be made at home easily with just milk and some lime juice or vinegar.
Paneer is made by curdling milk with an acid such as lemon juice. It is also known as Chhena.
Paneer is often used in curries since it absorbs flavor very readily. When sliced into cubes and deep fried, the cheese tends to hold its shape very well. Paneer can also be used as crumbled into a curry and making sweet desserts like Rasgullas and Rasmalai.
While most people buy paneer from the store, but homemade fresh paneer is far superior in taste. Making paneer at home is as easy as boiling the milk. It can be made at home easily with just milk and some lime juice or vinegar.
Ingredients:
½ Gallon whole milk (8 cups of milk)
¼ Cup lemon juice or as needed
Things you will need:
Heavy bottom pan
Towel or Cheese cloth
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
Milk
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Lemon juice
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Directions:
1. In a heavy stainless-steel pot add Milk and boil k on low heat stirring
periodically as milk tend to burn from the bottom.
2. While waiting for the milk to come to a boil, squeeze the juice from lemon into
a small bowl or cup. Make sure you remove seeds or pulp bits. (Store bought
lemon juice could be used)
1. In a heavy stainless-steel pot add Milk and boil k on low heat stirring
periodically as milk tend to burn from the bottom.
2. While waiting for the milk to come to a boil, squeeze the juice from lemon into
a small bowl or cup. Make sure you remove seeds or pulp bits. (Store bought
lemon juice could be used)
In a pot add Milk
Milk start boiling
3. Once the milk come to a boil, add lemon juice little at a time and keep
stirring, until milk start to curdle and separate from the whey. You will notice
that small lumps starts to form and the color of the milk changes. Once the
color of the milk becomes almost transparent and the lumps have now fully
formed, turn the stove off and let it stand for about 15 minutes.
stirring, until milk start to curdle and separate from the whey. You will notice
that small lumps starts to form and the color of the milk changes. Once the
color of the milk becomes almost transparent and the lumps have now fully
formed, turn the stove off and let it stand for about 15 minutes.
Add lemon juice and stir
Milk become yellowish
Let the curdled milk sit for a while
Milk is curdled
4. Take a cheese cloth or thin towel and line it over the colander. (With the cheese
cloth or thin towel the whey flow out easily)
5. Place the colander in the sink, then pour the curdled milk into the colander and
let it drain.
cloth or thin towel the whey flow out easily)
5. Place the colander in the sink, then pour the curdled milk into the colander and
let it drain.
Place a towel on the colander
Pour the curdled milk into colander
6. Wash the chenna (Paneer) for few times in water to rinse the lemon juice out.
Rinse chenna in running water
7. Lift the cloth off the colander, gather up the ends and twist and squeeze to drain the water out of the chenna, or gather the edges of the cloth and fold them over to cover the chenna and fill a heavy pot with water and set directly on the top of the wrapped cheese cloth in the colander and leave it aside until all the water drains out.
8. Do not make the Chenna too dry leave it little moist. If chenna become too then add few drops of water or as needed and mix.
8. Do not make the Chenna too dry leave it little moist. If chenna become too then add few drops of water or as needed and mix.
Lift towel off the colander
Squeeze the water out from Chenna
All the whey came out of the Paneer
Water is squeezed out from the Chenna
If you are not able to squeeze out the water from chenna then follow the
instruction below.
1. Take a bowl and place the colander over it.
2. Gather the edges of the cloth and fold them over to cover the chenna and place
over the colander.
instruction below.
1. Take a bowl and place the colander over it.
2. Gather the edges of the cloth and fold them over to cover the chenna and place
over the colander.
Place a colander over a bowl
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Place the towel with cheese over colander
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3. Place a plate over the towel with chena. Place is kept so that weight is equally
distributed.
4. Over the plate place pot fill of water or something heavy so that water comes
out of paneer.
5. Keep checking few times if desired water is out from Paneer.
distributed.
4. Over the plate place pot fill of water or something heavy so that water comes
out of paneer.
5. Keep checking few times if desired water is out from Paneer.
Place the plate over towel
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Place the pot full of water on the plate
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Water came out of the paneer
For crumbled paneer:
Once all the water drains out transfer the paneer into a plate or cutting board and crumble by your fingers. Crumbled paneer is used for making parathas or for
making various dishes.
Once all the water drains out transfer the paneer into a plate or cutting board and crumble by your fingers. Crumbled paneer is used for making parathas or for
making various dishes.
Paneer
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Crumble Paneer
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Crumbled Paneer
For making Paneer cubes:
1. Once all the water came out of the Paneer place the paneer filled cloth on a
plate and with the hand make the Paneer little smooth.
1. Once all the water came out of the Paneer place the paneer filled cloth on a
plate and with the hand make the Paneer little smooth.
Place the cloth with the Paneer on a plate
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Make Paneer little smooth
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2. Now fold once side of the towel and with your hand press to make it firm and
give shape.
give shape.
Fold the towel
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Press the Paneer to give the shape
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3. You could also use rolling pin to make it even thickness of the paneer depends
how thick you want your paneer cubes.
4. Open the towel and with a knife make edges even.
how thick you want your paneer cubes.
4. Open the towel and with a knife make edges even.
Roll paneer with rolling pin
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With a knife make edges smooth
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5. Now fold the towel and place a flat plate over it and over the plate place
something heavy on it to press the Paneer. Let it compress for about an hour
like this at room temperature.
something heavy on it to press the Paneer. Let it compress for about an hour
like this at room temperature.
Fold the towel
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Place a plate over the Paneer
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Place something heavy on Paneer
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paneer is ready
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6. Once the cheese has flattened, grease a knife and cut the Paneer in preferred
size cubes.
7. Slide the knife under Paneer cubes to loosen them.
size cubes.
7. Slide the knife under Paneer cubes to loosen them.
Slice the paneer
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Slide the knife under Paneer cubes
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Paneer slices
Tips:
1. Do not use old or spoiled milk to prepare the paneer. If the milk is spoiled it
will curdle itself and smell.
2. For making paneer use 2% or whole milk, fat free milk or skim milk does not
work in this process of making the paneer.
3. If after kneading the paneer is sticking in your hands or over cutting board it
means you did not take enough water out. If that happen then place the cheese
in a towel, wrap it and place it in the refrigerator, the towel will absorb the
extra water.
4. If paneer seems to be dry then add few drops of water. To check if right amount
of water is out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer on your palm and rub
with your finger and make it soft. After rubbing the paneer for about 10-15
seconds, you should be able to make a firm but smooth ball.
5. Not all the Indian dishes require fried paneer or paneer to be made into solid
blocks. Some dishes require crumbled paneer.
6. Paneer can be used immediately. Cut into cubes and fry gently in oil or use it as
crumbled.
Paneer can be used as it is or can be deep fried or baked in the oven or sautéed in the pan.
1. Do not use old or spoiled milk to prepare the paneer. If the milk is spoiled it
will curdle itself and smell.
2. For making paneer use 2% or whole milk, fat free milk or skim milk does not
work in this process of making the paneer.
3. If after kneading the paneer is sticking in your hands or over cutting board it
means you did not take enough water out. If that happen then place the cheese
in a towel, wrap it and place it in the refrigerator, the towel will absorb the
extra water.
4. If paneer seems to be dry then add few drops of water. To check if right amount
of water is out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer on your palm and rub
with your finger and make it soft. After rubbing the paneer for about 10-15
seconds, you should be able to make a firm but smooth ball.
5. Not all the Indian dishes require fried paneer or paneer to be made into solid
blocks. Some dishes require crumbled paneer.
6. Paneer can be used immediately. Cut into cubes and fry gently in oil or use it as
crumbled.
Paneer can be used as it is or can be deep fried or baked in the oven or sautéed in the pan.
How to fry, sauté or bake the paneer
Deep fry paneer
1. Heat enough oil in a frying pan to deep fry the paneer. In about 5 to 6 minutes
oil will become hot, to check if the oil is ready, drop a small piece of paneer
in the hot oil, if the paneer starts sizzling and come up slowly it means it is the
right heat but if it becomes too dark quickly it means oil is too hot, turn the
heat down.
1. Heat enough oil in a frying pan to deep fry the paneer. In about 5 to 6 minutes
oil will become hot, to check if the oil is ready, drop a small piece of paneer
in the hot oil, if the paneer starts sizzling and come up slowly it means it is the
right heat but if it becomes too dark quickly it means oil is too hot, turn the
heat down.
In a pan add oil and heat
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Drop a piece of paneer to check oil
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2. Now from the side of the pan one by one slip in the paneer pieces in to the oil
first they will sink to the bottom, with the help of the pierced or slotted spatula
start flickering hot oil over the top of the paneer pieces, soon they will rise to
the surface, turn them around keep flickering the hot oil until they become
golden brown or desired color.
first they will sink to the bottom, with the help of the pierced or slotted spatula
start flickering hot oil over the top of the paneer pieces, soon they will rise to
the surface, turn them around keep flickering the hot oil until they become
golden brown or desired color.
Add paneer pieces in hot oil and fry
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Paneer pieces are fried
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3. Once they become golden brown lift them from the hot oil with the spatula and
shake all the oil out and put them on a plate over paper towel, so that all the
extra oil absorbed by the towel. Repeat until all the pieces are fried.
shake all the oil out and put them on a plate over paper towel, so that all the
extra oil absorbed by the towel. Repeat until all the pieces are fried.
Fried Paneer
Sautéing paneer in the pan:
1. Once paneer is made, cut in to prefer size and shape.
2. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick flat pan.
3. Spread the paneer in the pan one at a time and spread them all over the pan
and fry them for 2 minutes, with the spatula check if the bottom becomes
golden brown then turn them around and cook other side for 2 minutes.
4. Once both the side becomes golden brown or desired color take them out from
the pan and place them in the plate over the paper towel. Repeat until until all
the pieces are fried.
1. Once paneer is made, cut in to prefer size and shape.
2. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick flat pan.
3. Spread the paneer in the pan one at a time and spread them all over the pan
and fry them for 2 minutes, with the spatula check if the bottom becomes
golden brown then turn them around and cook other side for 2 minutes.
4. Once both the side becomes golden brown or desired color take them out from
the pan and place them in the plate over the paper towel. Repeat until until all
the pieces are fried.
In a pan add oil and heat
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Spread Paneer pieces in the pan
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Paneer pieces are sauteed
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Sauteed paneer
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Baking the paneer in the oven
1. Heat the oven at 350 degrees.
2. Add oil in a baking dish and spread over the dish.
3. Place the paneer pieces one by one in the baking dish
4. Once all the pieces are spread on the tray with a brush apply oil over the top
of the pieces then put the dish in the oven.
1. Heat the oven at 350 degrees.
2. Add oil in a baking dish and spread over the dish.
3. Place the paneer pieces one by one in the baking dish
4. Once all the pieces are spread on the tray with a brush apply oil over the top
of the pieces then put the dish in the oven.
Add oil in a baking dish and spread
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Place paneer pieces in the baking dish
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Apply oil over paneer pieces
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place the baking dish in the oven
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5. Keep checking the oven periodically in few minutes the bottom of the paneer
will become light brown then take the dish out and turn the pieces upside
down, put the dish back in the oven. It does not take long to bake the paneer.
6. Once the both sides of paneer cubes become light brown or the desired color
take the dish out and transfer all the pieces of the baked paneer into a plate.
will become light brown then take the dish out and turn the pieces upside
down, put the dish back in the oven. It does not take long to bake the paneer.
6. Once the both sides of paneer cubes become light brown or the desired color
take the dish out and transfer all the pieces of the baked paneer into a plate.
With the spatula turn paneer pieces
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Paneer pieces are baked
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Baked Paneer pieces
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my paneer recipes. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipes.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Other recipes:
Kadhi paneer Paneer frankie (wrap)
Paneer tikka Paneer pakoras (Fritters)
Muttar paneer Palak paneer
(Green peas with paneer) (spinach with paneer)
Crumbled paneer curry Paneer bhurji
Kadhi paneer Paneer frankie (wrap)
Paneer tikka Paneer pakoras (Fritters)
Muttar paneer Palak paneer
(Green peas with paneer) (spinach with paneer)
Crumbled paneer curry Paneer bhurji
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