Paneer
Fresh Indian cheese from just milk and citric acid. Makes 1 cup (about 200 g)
Home-made paneer is softer and creamier than shop-bought, and it takes just milk and a little citric acid. Hot milk is curdled, the whey drained off and the curds pressed into a block that slices cleanly into cubes. Use it in curries such as paneer makhani and mutter paneer, in parathas or in tikka.
- Total time
- 47 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring 4 ¼ cups full-fat milk to the boil in a heavy pan, stirring now and then so it doesn't catch on the bottom.
10 minStep 2: While it's boiling, add 1 tsp citric acid, stirring continuously. The milk will curdle within a minute or two and a clear, greenish whey will separate from the white curds. Turn off the heat.
2 minStep 3: Line a colander with a piece of muslin and pour in the curdled milk. Gather up the cloth and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
Step 4: Shape the paneer into a flat block, still wrapped in the muslin, and press it under a heavy weight (a pan filled with water works well).
30 minStep 5: Unwrap the pressed paneer. It's ready to cut into cubes. Keep it in a covered box in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 21 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
Badal Patel
Good to know
- How long does paneer take?
- About 47 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of full-fat milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of citric acid?
- Juice of 1 lemon or 1 tbsp white vinegar per tsp (for curdling milk).
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