Fresh cheese with lemon (paneer)
Also searched as: paneer, homemade fresh cheese, homemade ricotta, cheese from milk and lemon, cottage cheese
In short: Hot milk with a little lemon juice curdles into flakes in seconds. Drained and pressed, it becomes a firm fresh cheese.
Like mist gathering into drops on a cold window: at first everything is finely spread, then it clumps.
- 1 l whole milk
- 2–4 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
- sieve, muslin or a clean tea towel
- a plate and something heavy for pressing
Boiling milk boils over easily: adults do the heating.
Step by step: what happens
- 1Bring the milk to the boil, stirring
Heat loosens the milk protein (casein) so that it flocculates completely in a moment.
Proteins change (denaturation) - 2Heat off; stir in lemon juice a spoonful at a time
The acid takes away the protein particles' charge. They stop repelling each other and clump together.
Acid cooks protein - 3Wait until the whey is clear and greenish
Then all the protein has flocculated. If it is milky, add a little more acid.
Proteins set (coagulation) - 4Pour into the cloth and rinse briefly with water
Rinsing removes the lemon flavour.
- 5Wrap it up and press for 30–40 minutes
Pressing squeezes out whey: pressed briefly it stays soft like ricotta; pressed long it becomes firm enough to slice.
Result
About 200 g of fresh cheese from 1 l of whole milk.
Keeps for
2–3 days, covered, in the fridge.
What to use it for
- Paneer in cubes for curries: it does not melt, because it is made with acid instead of rennet.
- Pressed lightly as a ricotta substitute for pasta and cakes.
- The whey for baking bread.
- Dassana’s Veg Recipes: How to make paneer
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004)