PANEER

Ingredients

8 cups (half gallon) milk
1/4 cup lemon Juice or white vineger

Method

Mix lemon juice white Viniger in half cup of hot water and put aside.Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice or white Viniger gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.To take out the excess water, press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about 1 hour.

If paneer will be used for making main dishes:

Before Pressing the paneer knead it enough so paneer is not crumbly.Press the paneer instead one hour, two hours making firmer.Cut the paneer to desired shape. Paneer can be refrigerated for a few days or kept frozen for months.

Variations

Add salt to the paneer, if you like with your choice of spices one or more, including black pepper, roasted cumin seed, chopped green chilies, chopped cilantro (Hara Dhania) or to your taste.