Recipe: Indian Paneer

There's still time to enter my Lunchbox Love Note Giveaway!

I've been wanting to make paneer (Indian cheese) for a while.  I love eating it, that's for sure.  A couple weeks ago, Sasha at Global Table Adventures made it in her "travel" to India, and then when I was watching Aarti Party with the kids this week, Aarti made it... The Girl decided she wanted to make it.  Who am I to disappoint my Girl?

Heating milk, stirring occasionally.

Adding the lemon juice

Hello, curds and whey!  Call me Little Miss Muffett!

I pretty much followed Aarti's recipe - half a gallon of milk (I used 2%), bring to a low boil over medium heat stirring occasionally.  Add in about a quarter cup of lemon juice, turn off heat and stir lightly to bring the curds together.

Straining

Squeezed and rinsed

Pour into a colander lined with two to three layers of cheesecloth to strain out whey (you could save it - I have plenty from yogurt, so I didn't save it this time - I love using it in bread and baking!)  Close up the cheese cloth and squeeze out some more whey.  Rinse it to get rid of some of the lemon. 

Now this is just fun.

Aarti tied it up and tied a wooden spoon or a small rolling pin and hung it for a while (I hung from the faucet) to get rid of some more whey.

Then, you press it under a couple heavy cans on a plate for about an hour and a half in the fridge. Sasha at Global Table used a fantastically fun combination of a watermelon sitting on top of a pot on top of the paneer.  I just used a couple cans... And forgot to take pictures.  Pour off any extra whey and use the paneer in your favorite Indian recipe.  Resist the urge to gobble it up as is.

Paneer all done!

Totally delicious