Homemade Indian Paneer Cheese

Home made fresh Paneer Cheese

Ingredients: 
1/2 Gallon Organic whole milk
1-2 medium sized lemon
Strainer
Cheese cloth
Mixing bowl
Cutting board (2) or dinner plates (2)

And the magic begins:

1. Heat milk: In a pan that can comfortably hold 1/2 gallon milk, bring milk to steaming hot. When tiny bubbles start springing and form bubbly border with steam flowing out, its time to add in the lemon juice.

                                   

2. Interim: In the mean time that milk is getting hot, lets squeeze the lemons and get the cheesecloth set up. Line the strainer with cheesecloth and place on the mixing bowl.
3. Cheese heaven:

With one hand slowly add the lemon juice while stirring the milk with the other hand, while the milk is on the flames.

                                                

Within minutes the solids start separating and the milk turns into a greenish tinge whey. Turn off the burner and let it cool.

4. On cooling, scoop the cheese onto the cheese cloth and squeeze out the extra fluid into the mixing bowl below. Remove as much fluids as you can and place the cheese cloth with the paneer onto a flat surface such as cutting board or dinner plate.

5. Spread the cheese while in the cloth, cover it with the cloth.
6. Tightening the paneer:
The paneer is still crumbly and needs tightening. For that purpose place the 2nd wooden cutting board on the top (thats what I did) or another dinner plate. Top it with additional weight to push onto the paneer. I used the pan with the whey to act as the weight on the top of the cutting board.

Leave for 30 mins or longer if you have time. Remove the weight and the cloth. 

Cut the tightened paneer into cubes and transfer in moisture free airtight container. Refrigerate until used. Stays fresh for 2-3 days in a moisture free air tight container.
Use it to make delicious recipes- Kadai Paneer, Palak Paneer, Paneer veggie rolls, Paneer paratha and many more I will upload soon.