Ingredients
1L non-homogenised full cream milk – the success of the texture of this paneer comes from using this milk!
2 tbsp greek yoghurt
Lemon juice, we used about 4 tbsp
Salt
Herbs and spices of your choice for flavouring (optional)
Summary
We wanted to make palak paneer, but we don’t sell paneer at Fair Food – no worries, let’s make it ourselves! Paneer is a fresh cheese often found in Indian cooking. It’s subtle, creamy character collaborates very well with rich, vibrant curry sauces. Skip the soft plastic, make it from scratch. This recipe is by @karancooks.
Homemade Paneer
GF
Bring the milk to a boil over a medium heat while stirring constantly so it doesn’t form a skin on the surface. As soon as it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and continue stirring for 1 min.
Mix the lemon juice and yoghurt together and tip it into the milk. Stir a couple of times and set aside for 3-4 minutes. The milk will split and the whey should be a clear greenish colour. If it’s still milky, add a little more lemon juice and warm it gently until clear, then turn off the heat again.
Once the milk has split fully, add a few cubes of ice as this stops it cooking further.
Strain the whey through a sieve lined with a cheese cloth or thin tea towel. Now rinse the curds gently to remove the sour flavour. Gently lift the cheese cloth and squeeze out as much of the whey as you can. Season the paneer with salt and any other flavours.
Wrap up the curds tightly and place a heavy object on top to leech as much liquid as possible. Let rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Hints and Tips
Paneer can be frozen, but it changes texture.
Homemade paneer can be crumblier than store bought because the latter often use more technical processes or stabilizers to firm it up. To prevent homemade paneer from breaking up in your gravy, you can lightly pan fry it before adding it to a sauce.
The leftover whey is packed with protein and really healthy. Mix it into bread doughs, curries, smoothies or drink it as is.
This recipe is by @karancooks
