Paneer Cheese
- 25m Prep Time
- 5m Cook Time
- 1h Ready In
A simple homemade paneer cheese made from full-cream milk, lemon juice, and salt. It has a squeaky, halloumi-like bite when properly pressed, or can be enjoyed as a soft cheese.
Ingredients
- 2.25 L full-cream milk
- 60 ml lemon juice
- 2.46 ml salt
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 2 of 3 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 1.11 mg
- Iron: 0.01 mg
- Magnesium: 0.94 mg
- Phosphorus: 1.24 mg
- Potassium: 16 mg
- Zinc: 0.01 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 2.25 L full-cream milk
- 60 ml lemon juice
- 2.46 ml salt
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Pour the milk into a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a slight simmer, just under 95°C/200°F if using a thermometer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. The milk should look frothy when ready.
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Step 2.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Cover and set aside for 10–15 minutes to allow the curds to separate from the whey.
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Step 3.
Line a colander with muslin cloth or cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl. Carefully scoop out the cheese curds into the colander, letting the whey collect in the bowl below.
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Step 4.
Gather the muslin cloth and gently squeeze to remove excess whey. Open the cloth, sprinkle the salt over the curds, and stir well to distribute evenly.
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Step 5.
With the curds still in the cloth, transfer to a large plate or chopping board. Shape into a rough square and fold the cloth tightly around the curds. Place another plate or board on top and weigh down with a couple of cans. Press for 1 hour, then chill in the refrigerator until firm.
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Step 6.
Slice the pressed paneer into desired size chunks when ready to use.