Homemade Paneer Fresh Indian Cottage Cheese Food

HOMEMADE PANEER (FRESH INDIAN COTTAGE CHEESE)

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a large saucepan over medium high heat until the top becomes foamy, just as looks like it's about to boil.
• Turn stove off. Add lemon juice and stir for 1 minute. The milk should begin to curdle. If it doesn't, turn the stove back on and bring back to a gentle boil until the solids separate.
• Line strainer or colander: Place over a deep bowl. Line strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth (Note 1).
• Strain: Ladle in half of the curdled milk to begin with, then pour the rest in. Leave until all the liquid drains - this might take 5 to 10 minutes.
• Rinse: Discard liquid (whey) in the bowl. Bundle the paneer up in the cheesecloth (it will still be quite watery at this stage) then rinse bundle briefly under cold tap water. This helps to remove lemon flavour + cool for easier handling.
• Squeeze out excess water by twisting the cheesecloth and squeezing the bundle, but not so hard that paneer squeezes out through the cloth. Once liquid no longer comes out, stop. The paneer will still be quite soft at this stage.
• Weigh cheese down with weights: Shape cheese into a disc around 2cm / ¾" thick, still wrapped in cheesecloth. Place in a strainer or colander set over a bowl. Top with a small plate then 2 x 400g/14oz cans (or similar weight).
• Refrigerate for 4 hours. During this time the paneer will set (become firm) and remaining liquid will drain out. (Note 2)
• Remove paneer from fridge and carefully unwrap. There will be a dent in the middle, this is normal (it's from the draining).
• At this stage, the paneer is now ready for use. You can either cut it immediately and use in a recipe (such as Palak Paneer!), or store the whole uncut block for another time and just cut when needed.
• Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for 3 months.

PANEER ( INDIAN COTTAGE CHEESE)

Steps:

• Bring the milk to the boil. Add the vinegar or lemon juice, and wait until the solids shift from the whey. If this does not happen after a minute or so, add some more juice or vinegar.
• Now put a clean cloth in a sieve and poor the fluid through the sieve.
• After one hour, the cheese will be like cottage cheese, especially if you add some salt and a few tablespoons cream.
• If you wait longer and put a weight on top, it will be firm white cheese.

PANEER: HOMEMADE INDIAN CHEESE

Steps:

• Line a large colander with a large double layer of cheesecloth, and set it in your sink.
• In a large wide pot, bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning the bottom (a nonstick pot works really well for this purpose). This will take a little while so be patient!
• Add the lemon juice and turn the heat down to low. Stirring gently, you should almost immediately see the curds (white milk solids) and whey (the greenish liquid) separate. Don't fret, this is perfect!
• Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the contents into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Gently rinse with cool water to get rid of the lemon flavor. At this point, you could squeeze out some of the liquid, and serve with some honey and some nuts, almost like a fresh ricotta!
• Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey. Tie the cheesecloth to your kitchen faucet and allow the cheese to drain for about 5 minutes.
• Twisting the ball to compact the cheese into a block, place it on a plate with the twisted part of the cheesecloth on the side (this will ensure your block of cheese is nice and smooth!) and set another plate on top. Weigh the second plate down with cans of beans or a heavy pot. Move to the refrigerator and let it sit about 20 minutes.
• Unwrap your beautiful disc of homemade cheese! You did it! You can now use this in any number of traditional Indian dishes, like saag paneer.

COTTAGE CHEESE IN SPINACH GRAVY(PALAK PANEER)

Steps:

• Remove the stems from the spinach,blanch them in hot water and grind them into a fine paste.
• Add butter in a heavy bottomed vessel and add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add finely onions and green chili saute them till light brown. Don't burn them.Mean while shallow fry cottage cheese cubes in 1 tbsp of oil slightly brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry further for 3 minutes. Add red chili powder and coriander powder and combine well.
• Blend the tomatoes,add the tomato paste and let it cook for 5-6 min on medium heat. Add the spinach paste and let it cook further for another 4-5 minute.
• Add the fried cottage cheese(paneer) cubes and combine. Cook covered on low heat for 3 minute Add the spinach water and salt and cook on medium heat for 10-12 minute.
• Add heavy cream, garam masala powder and chopped cilantro and mix well.
• Reduce flame, cover and cook for 2 mts.
• Serve hot with flat breads or white rice.

PANEER (FRESH CHEESE)

Steps:

• To make about a pound of paneer, heat 1 gallon of milk in a large pot that allows enough space for milk to boil.
• When milk is about to boil, immediately add 4 to 5 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of vinegar (can substitute cream of tartar for lemon juice and vinegar).
• You may optionally add 1 cup of plain yogurt too.
• Be careful that milk does not boil over; lower heat if needed.
• Simmer until the milk curdles (cheese separates from clear liquid (whey)).
• Use more lemon juice or vinegar as needed.
• Turn off the heat.
• Strain the cheese in a large sieve set over a bowl and lined with a thin muslin cloth or cheesecloth.
• Mash the cheese to make it smooth.
• Let it drain.
• Note: Instead of discarding the whey, you may use it as a substitute for water in soups or dough.
• Drain it as much as possible (couple of hours) till no liquid can be squeezed out.
• Blend the cheese with hand or in a food processor to make it smooth.
• Spread it evenly, about half inch thick on a cloth on flat board lined with paper towels.
• Fold the cloth over on four sides and cover the top.
• Put more paper towels on top.
• Put a large flat-bottomed skillet filled with water on top to put pressure to drain excess liquid.
• Change paper towels if they get wet.
• After 30 to 45 minutes, when paper towels appear dry, unwrap the cheese.
• Cut paneer; into ½ to ¾" cubes (or strips) and use without frying or fry as follows.
• To fry, heat about 4 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
• Lightly brown the cubes on all sides while turning with a slotted spatula.

HOMEMADE PANEER / PANIR (INDIAN CURD CHEESE)

Steps:

• For channa:
• Pour milk into a heavy 4-quart saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to medium and stir in buttermilk.
• When the curds form a mass (you'll see a clear, pale-yellow whey surrounding the curds), remove pan from heat, let stand, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
• Line a colander with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth.
• Set the colander in the sink or in a bowl if you wish to save the whey (see note).
• Gather together the corners of the cloth, give one or two twists, and tie with a kitchen twine.
• Gently pour the curds and whey into the cheesecloth.
• Hang the cheesecloth bag over the faucet and let the cheese drain for 1 hour, or until it is as thick as yogurt (this is channa).
• If the weather is warm, leave the cheesecloth bag in the colander, set the colander on a plate to catch the drippings, and refrigerate until the cheese has thickened.
• Unwrap the channa and use immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. (Note: Save the whey for making your next batch of paneer, use it for cooking lentils or pilafs, or add it to soups.)
• Yields approximately 10 ounces. Nutrition Infomation: PER OUNCE (channa): 75 calories, 5 g protein, 0 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat (4 g saturated), cholesterol and sodium content is not available, 0 g fiber.
• For Paneer cheese:
• Snugly wrap cheesecloth around the channa to form a"cake."
• Place on a cookie sheet, place another cookie sheet on top and add weights (for example, 2 or 3 large cans of tomatoes, 2 or 3 bricks, a large pitcher of water).
• Let the cheese sit for 2 to 4 hours.Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Yields 8 ounces (1 cup). Nutrition Infomation: PER OUNCE (paneer): 100 calories, 7 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (5 g saturated), cholesterol and sodium content is not available, 0 g fiber.

MUTTER PANEER (PEAS AND COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• Grind onions into a fine paste in a food processor. Keep aside.
• Next grind tomatoes into fine paste and keep aside.
• Heat 2-3 tbsps of oil in a pan and gently stir-fry the cubes of paneer till golden.
• Remove onto a paper towel and keep aside.
• In the same vessel heat 2-3 tbsps of oil and add the onion paste. Fry till it turns light brown.
• Add tomato paste, ginger and garlic paste and fry for another 2 minutes.
• Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and garam masala powders, green chillies and fry, stirring continuously till the oil begins to separate from the masala (spice mixture).
• Add the peas to the masala and fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Then add the paneer, water and salt, reduce flame to a simmer and cook till the gravy thickens.
• When the gravy is as thick as you would like, turn off the flame and stir in the cream.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

MALAI METHI PANEER(DELICIOUS INDIAN COTTAGE CHEESE CURRY)

Steps:

• Take a microwaveable glass bowl and toss in the onion, ginger and garlic in it.
• Microwave it on HIGH power level for 2 minutes.
• Add the coarsely ground cumin, whole red chilli, corriander seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and kasoori methi.
• Microwave it on HIGH power level for 1 minute.
• Stir in the tomato puree, capsicum and 1/4 cup of water.
• Microwave on HIGH power level for 2 minutes.
• Add the cottage cheese cubes, cream, sugar, salt and 1/4 cup of water.
• Mix it very gently so as to not let the cottage cheese cubes break.
• Microwave on HIGH power level for 1 minute.
• Garnish with corriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rotis (chappatis) or naan or white Basmati rice.
• Enjoy!