Paneer

Copyright 2012 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Paneer is India's answer to fresh homemade cheese. I used to host Moroccan dinners when I was still living in Atlanta and in an effort to offer a complete meal, I fill in the dinner menu with Indian dishes to complement the Moroccan chicken or lamb stew I usually serve to my friends. A favorite is Mutter Paneer which is a rich Mogul dish that goes well with any meat dish or as a vegetarian dish on its own with warm naan.

I was pampered by the fact that paneer was available in Atlanta but here in Bozeman, I was stuck with two choices. One is to make my own or two, to use the closest thing to a paneer which is tofu. I was informed that paneer is available in town but I decided to go and make my own paneer this time guided by my friend Vasudha who gave me the correct proportions and a simple directive on how to prepare it. I was also watching Nigella's Feasts and she featured Mutter Paneer in one of her episodes so I was more determined than ever to try and make this fresh cheese.

Paneer

1 gallon whole milk
1 qt buttermilk

1. Bring the milk to a boil at medium heat. Once boiling, add the buttermilk
    while stirring continuously.

2. Turn off the heat and keep stirring until the curds have clumped together.

3. Strain the curdled milk on a strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large
    bowl. Reserve some of the liquid to store the cheese in.

4. Using the cloth as your guide, wring the cheese tight to remove the excess
    whey. Fold the cheese into a square shape and wrap securely with the
    cloth. Position the wrapped cheese on a flat surface and top with a plate
    and weigh down with something heavy to set the cheese for at least an
    hour.

5. If not using right away, unwrap the cheese and transfer to a sealable
    container with some of the reserved liquid. Store in the fridge.