Paneer/ cottage cheese is used in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes. Though it is easily available at sweet shops and the supermarket, I like to make mine at home. For Indian desserts like rasgullas, rasmalai and gulab jamuns, fresh home made paneer is a sure- shot way to get excellent results.
Here is a stepwise illustration on how to make paneer/cottage cheese/chhena at home.
You need
Milk- 1 litre
Lemon Juice/Vinegar- 1-2 Tbsp diluted with 1/2 a Tbsp of water
Some ice cubes (optional)
- Bring to boil a litre of milk (though any variety may be used, I prefer fresh cow milk)
- Gradually add lemon juice/vineager stirring the milk till the time the milk mass separates from the greenish whey/liquid
- Turn off the heat
- Add 10-12 ice cubes
- Strain and wash thoroughly with cool drinking water to get rid of the sour lemony smell
- Transfer to a muslin cloth,tie the cloth holding the corners and hang for 10-15 minutes to drain the excess whey.
Your fresh homemade paneer is ready to use.
It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours but is best used fresh.
