Homemade paneer!

I couldn't resist having a go at making paneer. Since we moved house, I haven't made that many dishes using paneer. In our previous place lived close to an Indian supermarket which had good quality paneer, so I would just buy it there. But I've really missed having it! 

When we go to an Indian restaurant, a paneer dish is definitely on the cards for me. My all-time favourites are paneer butter masala and palak paneer (as I expect for many!) My partner is from Southern India and doesn't like paneer so much, and considering I like North Indian cuisine so much he puts up with all the paneer and potato dishes I make really well and doesn't have too many complaints! But that said, I also love Southern Indian cuisine, so I make a good variety of each. 

Normally I would make something with paneer every other week but since we moved it hasn't featured - that is until now when I had a go at making it! I was so surprised at how easy it was, and how tasty it turned out to be. You just need milk, a curdling agent like vinegar or lemon juice and a muslin cloth. 

I had read several recipes, and each recipe used a different quantity of milk & differing amount of curdling agent, so if I'm honest, I ended up getting a bit confused as to how much I was supposed to use. Through trial and error I've found that using vinegar makes a nice firm block of paneer, perfect for curries like this matar paneer I made! If I want to make a softer paneer (better to use in koftas or gulab jamuns) just add a little less vinegar or use lemon juice or yoghurt instead.

What curdling agents can you use? 

• Vinegar - this is my preferred curdling agent as it makes a nice firm but soft block of paneer. Paneer made using vinegar as the curdling agent is best for curries and gravy based paneer dishes like paneer butter masala, palak paneer etc. 
  
  
• Lemon juice - this will yield a softer paneer (not as firm as vinegar), perfect for sweets like kalakand & gulab jamun 
  
  
• Buttermilk - this will give a soft block of paneer but still holds it shape
  
  
• Yoghurt - this will give a very soft block of paneer, so again perfect for desserts. 

In short this paneer is

• Free from preservatives, which they may add to shop-bought paneer 
  
  
• Friendly on your wallet 
  
  
• Versatile - can be used in curries, sweets and desserts 
  
  
• Has a creamy texture and absorbs flavours really well

Ingredients

Makes ~450g of paneer

2 litres full fat milk (you need full fat, semi skimmed or another variety won't be as tasty). 

2 egg cupfuls of white vinegar (around 2 tbsp - 1 tbsp if you would like a softer paneer)

Large bowl 

Muslin cloth 

Something heavy to weight down the paneer (pestle and mortar, iron saucepan, canned food are some good options!)

Method: 

• Get everything ready before making the paneer. Place your muslin cloth over the bowl and get out what you will use to weigh down the paneer (I used a chopping board and pestle and mortar). 
  
  
• Gently heat the milk in a large saucepan until it just begins to boil and foam on the top. Stir often to stop it from catching. You can test if the milk is hot enough by just dipping your finger in - it should feel hot but it shouldn't burn you. 
  
  
• Once the milk is hot, add the vinegar. Mix well and keep on the heat for around 2 minutes.
  
  
• Turn off the heat and leave it for 5-10 minutes so it curdles completely. 
  
  
• Once the milk has curdled, pour the mixture into the bowl you lined with muslin cloth. Gather up the corners of the muslin cloth and then gently squeeze out any liquid. 
  
  
• Next, gently rinse the paneer curds under cold running water to remove any vinegar flavour. 
  
  
• Once rinsed, squeeze thoroughly to remove any excess moisture. To ensure that as much moisture was removed as possible, I also hung the paneer in the muslin with a bowl underneath for around 30 minutes to allow gravity to remove any extra water. If you would like a firm block of paneer, I recommend doing this. Just tie gather up the muslin cloth and tie around something like a kitchen cupboard handle and place a bowl underneath. 
  
  
• Once all excess moisture has been removed, place the paneer in the muslin cloth on a flat waterproof surface - ensuring that the paneer curds are in an even layer!
  
  
• Place another chopping board on top and then weigh down with what you have (e.g. a pestle and mortar!) 
  
  
• Leave to set for around 1 hour, and after that you'll have some freshly made paneer to use in any of your favourite dishes. 

Recipe notes 

• 2 litres of full fat milk yields around 450g of paneer. You can scale this recipe accordingly - 1 litre of milk will make around 225g. 

FAQs 

How much vinegar or curdling agent to use? 

1 tbsp of curdling agent per 1 litre of milk is enough to form paneer. To ensure the milk curdles completely, make sure the milk is hot when you add the curdling agent. Simmer for 2 minutes and then turn off the flame. Leave for 5-10 minutes so your milk curdles completely. 

Why does my paneer not hold its shape?

If you do not remove all of the excess moisture, then your paneer will be crumbly and won't hold its shape. A good step to include is to hang the milk solid curds in a muslin cloth from a height with a bowl underneath. Let gravity do the work!

Why is my paneer crumbly? 

If you continue to boil the milk once you have added the curdling agent, then you will end up with a crumbly and hard paneer, which doesn't absorb flavours well.