Paneer

Prep 5 minutes, cook 55 minutes, total 1 hour. Yields approx. 24 oz. Author: Jyoti Behrani.

Tips and Tricks

• The fat content in the milk plays a very important role in the quality of the paneer. I personally prefer full fat or whole milk for homemade paneer.
• Make sure the milk has a good shelf life.
• You can use any acidic food to make paneer: lemon juice, vinegar, curd (yogurt) or citric acid. Depending on which acidic food is used to coagulate milk, the texture of the paneer will vary. Yogurt-based paneer is more soft and less firm in texture.
• The ratio of 1 gallon of milk to 1/4 cup of vinegar has worked for me like a charm. I always get perfect textured, soft paneer. Make sure to use good quality vinegar; I prefer distilled white vinegar.
• Always add the acidic food like vinegar or lemon juice once the milk has come to a boil.
• After adding the acidic food, gently stir the milk to curdle it.
• As soon as the milk has completely curdled, remove it from the heat and strain it. Overcooking will yield hard and crumbly paneer once it is set.
• Once refrigerated, paneer does turn a little hard. Soak the paneer pieces in warm water to soften before adding to the recipe.
• It takes around 30 minutes for paneer to set. Depending on the moisture in the milk solids the time will vary. If required, keep the paneer to set a little longer (max. up to an hour).

Instructions for Instant Pot

1. Line a large colander with a piece of double-layer cheese cloth and place the colander over a large empty bowl.
2. Turn on the Instant Pot on "boil" mode. Note: press yogurt mode twice to get boil mode.
3. Add 1 gallon of whole milk. Close the Instant Pot with vent sealed.
4. After approximately 40 minutes the Instant Pot will beep. Turn off the Instant Pot.
5. After around 10 minutes, carefully open the Instant Pot. Turn on the saute mode (high).
6. Let the milk come to a gentle boil, around 10 minutes. Keep stirring in between to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot.
7. Add vinegar, mix gently. Milk starts to curdle immediately, as soon as the white milk solids and whey (greenish liquid) separate. Turn off the Instant Pot.
8. Immediately pour the contents into the colander lined with cheese cloth to strain the whey out.
9. Carefully lift the colander and rinse it under cold water to remove any smell from the vinegar.
10. Grab the ends of the cheese cloth and twist to form a ball, removing any extra liquid.
11. Place the cheese ball on a plate with the twisted part of the cheese cloth on the side (this assures a nice smooth block of cheese). Place another plate on top. Add some weight on the second plate to set the paneer. I normally keep weight equivalent to a gallon (empty jar of milk filled with water, an oil container).
12. After 30 minutes, check if the paneer is set. It should feel soft but firm. If required add a few more minutes for it to set.
13. Note: paneer will harden upon refrigeration.
14. Cut the paneer into desired pieces and use it in your favorite dish. Enjoy!

Instructions for Stove Top

1. In a heavy-bottom pot on high heat, add milk and bring it to a gentle boil. Keep stirring in between to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
2. Follow the same steps as above.

Notes

1. Tips and Tricks — checkout the discussion earlier in the post.
2. How to store and freeze paneer? — checkout the discussion earlier in the post.