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Paneer/Homemade Paneer/How to make Paneer at home
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Paneer/Homemade Paneer/How to make Paneer at home

Homemade Paneer is an Indian Cottage Cheese prepared from Milk. Miilk is curdled by adding Lemon Juice and is then strained with the help of muslin cloth to get the chenna. The chenna is then tied in the cloth to get the Paneer.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Homemade Paneer
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories
Author Recipe by Chits

Equipment

  • Muslin Cloth or Handkerchief
  • Strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 litre Full Cream Milk (or 4 cups)
  • 3-4 tablespoon Vinegar or Lemon Juice
  • 2 cups Cold Water

Instructions

  • Pour the milk in a large thick bottom pot and boil it over medium heat.
  • As the milk is heating, stir it at regular intervals so that cream layer is not formed at the surface of the milk.
  • When the milk starts boiling, reduce the flame to low and add the Lemon Juice or Vinegar to it.
  • Stir the milk with the help of spoon continuously. After sometime you will see that the milk starts curdling.
  • As the milk is curdling keep stirring it till the milk gets completely curdled. The curdled milk should not stick to the bottom of the pot.
  • After sometime the whole milk gets curdled and green watery whey is formed. If there is no formation of green coloured whey, add more lemon juice to it and stir it again.
  • The quantity of lemon juice required for curdling depends upon the quality of the milk. So even if the milk does not curdle with 3-4 tablespoon of lemon juice, you can add extra lemon juice.
  • When the greenish coloured whey is formed and the chenna gets separated from the water, switch off the stove.
  • Now take a large bowl and place strainer over it.
  • Place the muslin cloth or clean handkerchief over the strainer.
  • Pour the curdled milk into the strainer to separate the chenna from the whey.
  • Next add cold water to the strained chenna and wash it to remove the sourness and acidic taste of the lemon juice.
  • Now collect the edges of the muslin cloth and squeeze it to drain out the excess water from the chenna.
  • Take the squeezed chenna in a plate and flatten it by pressing with your hand.
  • Place a heavy weight on top of the muslin cloth for about 30 minutes. If whey comes out from the chenna, then separate it.
  • After 30 minutes, the chenna will set to form Paneer.
  • Remove the Paneer from the muslin cloth and cut it into small cubes or any shapes.
    Paneer/Homemade Paneer/How to make Paneer at home
  • Homemade Paneer is ready to be used to prepare different types of Paneer Recipes.
    Paneer/Homemade Paneer/How to make Paneer at home

Notes

  1. While boiling milk, keep stirring it continuously so that it does not burn at the bottom of the pot and also no cream layer is formed over the milk.
  2. The quantity of Lemon Juice or Vinegar required for curdling milk depends on the quality of the milk. Initially add 3-4 tablespoon and stir. If the milk does not curdle completely then add extra lemon juice. Keep stirring it till greenish coloured whey is not formed.
  3. The milk whey left behind after curdling the milk is very nutritious and is used to prepare atta dough or in dal and curries.
  4. While squeezing the chenna to remove the excess water, do not over squeeze or else the moisture will be lost.