Unlike other cheeses which uses rennet for coagulation- preparation of paneer includes – heat coagulation of milk by adding any one of these food acids- critic acid, vinegar, lemon juice or curd. Curdling of milk results in light greenish white tinge of whey -use it to knead dough which results in softer puris and rotis. MY INTAKE ON SOFTER PANEER – Since my home science days I have made paneer with all of the above mentioned food acids.
Paneer made with citric acid has a very clean milky flavor. Paneer made with vinegar results in a much thicker curdling of milk, but use the exact measurements. Paneer prepared using lemon juice has a mild sour touch. Lastly paneer made with curd makes softer paneer.
Making paneer can be a daunting task for some but if followed the right method its a breeze and it tastes good. ALWAYS use full cream milk to make paneer. How to make Paneer RULE OF THUMB TO GOOD PANEER IS – BOIL – STIR- STRAIN. BOIL- Make sure the milk is fully boiled before stirring in the food acids. STIR- Once boiled immediately stir in food acids.When adding the food acids, stir milk gently as it may break the forming curds. STRAIN – As soon as it curdles take it off the gas and strain. Paneer will loose its softness and texture if boiled past its coagulation. INGREDIENTS – 4 cups OR 1 Litre of Full cream milk 1/8 cup OR 2 Tablespoon of vinegar Muslin cloth to strain the curds METHOD – Always use whole milk or full cream milk to make paneer. Reason- Whole milk is much richer in taste and texture. Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan. When the milk becomes frothy and bubbles start to form on top that’s the time to add vinegar/lemon juice.
Pour in vinegar/lemon juice. How to make Paneer
Slowly mix vinegar/lemon juice in the milk and milk will curdle. Take it off the flame and keep stirring and you can see the whey getting separated.
When the whey/liquid in curdle milk turns to pale green in color, take the pan off the flame.
Meanwhile line a strainer with muslin cloth.
Strain paneer into that muslin cloth. How to make Paneer
Wash paneer under cold water to get rid of vinegar/lemon juice taste.
Squeeze paneer and allow the water to drain.
You can also hang paneer/chenna for 20- 30 minutes until the water stops dripping.
Remove paneer from cloth. Paneer should feel crumbly but moist. How to make Paneer
Time to press – With the help of a spoon give it a smooth round shape, fold the muslin cloth around it and weigh it down by placing a heavy weight over it. In my case I am using a puri maker. Allow it to set for about an hour. Once firm like a block, paneer is ready- cut it in cubes or triangles and store it in fridge or freeze it for future use.
FACTS ABOUT PANEER
- There are many types of cheese that are made in India on a small scale, but paneer is the only cheese which can be compared to Western cheese in terms of texture. Good paneer can be made from milk which contains 5 % more fat than normal milk. Therefore, buffalo milk is more suitable for preparing paneer.
- Paneer is the most popular form of cheese that is prepared in Indian homes and used generously in cooking and confectioneries like rasgullas and sandesh.
- If you want to cut paneer into a particular shape then place the paneer in a rectangular tray and it will take that shape while setting. In this way it will be easier to cut into squares, triangles, etc.
- Grated paneer can be used to decorate a simple dish and make it look quite tempting. Even a paneer burji can make your breakfast more lively.
- Homemade paneer not only looks delicious, but it tastes delicious, too. No wonder it has carved a niche for itself in the vegetarian world and the soft color of paneer heightens the colors of other ingredients.
