Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
Once you make paneer at home, you’ll never go back to buying it from a store! It takes only two ingredients so it’s super-easy to make, and it’s free of preservatives and additives. I usually get milk from local farms or farmers markets and make paneer in bulk then freeze it, but you can also leave it in the fridge for up to a week. I use it to make things like Paneer Scramble and Paneer Cigars for the kids. Even though I don’t eat dairy myself every time I make this I am simply amazed by the transformation and curdling of milk into cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon whole milk, (preferably unpasteurized)
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
Instructions
- Line a sieve with cheesecloth or muslin and place it over a large bowl.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring milk to boil on medium heat. This part of the process can take up to 20-25 minutes, so do not rush it!
- As milk starts to rise, turn the heat to low setting add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and stir. You will see that milk will start to curdle and separate. Continue to add vinegar and stir.
- Turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes.
- Strain mix into a sieve lined with cheesecloth or muslin, saving whey if desired.
- Run cold water over the sieve and wash the paneer.
- Gather cheesecloth or muslin and using your hands, squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Twist and flatten cheesecloth or muslin to make a bag. Set on a plate and place a heavy weight or saucepan over it to help squeeze more water out and set cheese.
- Unwrap the paneer and cut it into biteable sizes.
