Mahanandi

Living in Consciousness ~ Indi(r)a’s Food and Garden Weblog

Delightful Paneer

What you need: Milk, Lime and Cheesecloth

Whole Milk – half gallon

Juice from one lime, about 2 to 3 tbs

Muslin cloth (gangi gudda)

Boil the milk in a thick-bottomed vessel on medium heat, stirring occasionally (sometimes milk stick to the bottom and burns, so take caution). Once the milk starts to boil, reduce the heat and add the limejuice, stirring continuously.

In few minutes, you see small curds like white clouds floating on top. Wait till they get bigger (if they don’t, add some more lime juice and stir) and the whey below gets less milky. This process takes few minutes, so wait at least five minutes. Switch off the heat and let it stand for few more minutes. Then pour the whole thing immediately into a clean muslin or cheese cloth in a sieve, over a sink. Gather the curds and discard the whey.

Milk turning into paneer seperating paneer from whey

Keep the curds in the cloth, tie a knot much above their level and hang it over a kitchen sink. Let the whey drip for half an hour. Now remove the knot, twist the cloth several times to make it tighten, squeeze out any remaining whey, make a tight knot just above the paneer, shaping the paneer into a round ball. Keep it hanging for another 30 minutes.

draining the whey tightening the cloth to squeeze out the remaining whey from paneer

Remove the paneer from the cloth. Now with the all the whey gone, it turns out into a firm ball. Store this in the refrigerator, 2 to 3 hours, for further solidification. After that, you can use the delightful paneer in curries or just plain fried, as you wish.

Paneer

Try it, if you have not already, this easy to make, pure, rennet free, Paneer~ the Indian cheese.

Paneer Recipes I have blogged so far on Mahanandi:

Palak Paneer ~ Paneer with Spinach
Pudina Paneer ~ Paneer with Fresh Mint
Paneer Jalfrezi ~ Paneer with Green Bell Pepper and Tomato
Kadhi Paneer ~ Paneer with Spicy Yogurt Based Sauce
Matar Paneer ~ Paneer with Fresh Peas of Summer
Hare Chane Paneer ~ Paneer with Fresh Green Garbanzo/Chickpeas
Sarson da Saag ~ Paneer with Baby Mustard Greens and Spinach
Paneer Pad Thai with Bok Choy
Paneer Naanini ~ Naan stuffed with crumbled paneer & spinach curry

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Milk & Products,Paneer (Monday June 6, 2005 at 9:18 am- permalink)
Comments (85)

The New Home of Mahanandi: www.themahanandi.org

85 comments for Delightful Paneer »

  1. Juz recently i found ur website thro google.i tried making panner today, and it came out very well.thanks alot..most more recipes..

    Comment by shanthi — December 16, 2005 @ 4:21 pm

  2. post more recipes..

    Comment by shanthi — December 16, 2005 @ 4:21 pm

  3. Hi indira,
    ur site looks great !!
    Any idea if we can use the same paneer for making rasagulla ?

    bye
    Anu

    Comment by Anu — February 22, 2006 @ 3:21 am

  4. I’m making the paneer right now. It’s sitting on the stove cooling and I’m waiting (impatiently). It’s nice to be able to make this myself so I can pick up some cruelty milk to make it with. I always get uncomfortable buying milk products from the store because I know how the cows are treated.

    There is a little bit of ambiguity in the instructions where it says, “once the milk starts to rise to the top.” I’m not sure if you mean to wait until it starts to boil or wait until it conglomerates. Thanks so much for your great website!!

    Indira replies…
    It means wait until it starts to boil. Sorry about the ambiguity.

    Comment by Amy — February 22, 2006 @ 5:54 pm

  5. yikes…that’s “crulety free” milk.

    Comment by Amy — February 22, 2006 @ 5:55 pm

  6. Hi Indira,

    Tried this yest and it came out great. I was really happy that I could make this at home 🙂 Somehow I was always under the impression that home made paneer would never taste like store bought. But now I know this tastes great and you know, the satisfaction that you get when you make something from scratch, nothing to beat that :-). I am sure I am going to try this again and again. And I made Nupur’s Paneer Pilaf. It came out good :-)So thanks Indira for sharing this recipe.

    Comment by Kerala Girl — March 2, 2006 @ 10:02 am

  7. Hello Indira..I’m on your website almost everyday and keep trying some thing or the other whish you post.I made Paneer yesterday following your guidelines.Have made it quite a few times before and the method is almost the same as you have suggested.However, the paneer that I make becomes very hard.Same was yesterday’s result.Why is it so? Why does it become hard and not soft and fresh? Is is beacuse I squeeze out too much of whey? Do let me know so that the panner that I make next time is as good as the one that you made and posted the picture.I ask a lot of questions, don’t I?! 🙂

    Indira replies…
    Hi Shilipi, sorry I don’t have any helpful suggestions.

    Comment by Shilpi — March 8, 2006 @ 7:56 am

  8. Hi Indira, Just a couple of questions, how do you store the paneer? Do you have to freeze it & how long does the paneer stay fresh?

    Indira replies:
    Hi Kiran, I usually cook with it within two or three days. Because it’s homemade, without any additives etc., it usually smells and not taste that good, even when kept in the refrigerator. I keep it in the refrigerator and cook it within a day or two.
    My guess is, it can stay fresh for upto one week, more than that, I’m not sure.
    Hope this helps.

    Comment by Kiran — March 28, 2006 @ 5:12 pm

  9. Hi Indira,
    I happen to visit your site just by luck.Was searching for some eggplant recipe and there I saw ur recipe.I must tell you that the eggplant curry came our really well.I tried making paneer today but it dint come out that well.I mean instead of using whole milk,I used Vitamin D milk.I compared the nutritional facts of Vitamin D milk and Whole milk.The store did not have whole milk so I substituted that with vitamin D milk.The paneer formed is very very marginal to what has been shown in ur pictures.Did you make the paneer (in pics) with just half gallon??I could hardly get 2-3 small blocks out of half gallon…Did my vitamin D milk spoil the paneer?

    Indira replies:
    Hi Anulekha, I am glad that you’ve tried and liked the eggplant recipe and thanks for letting me know.
    About paneer – I’ve also prepared this paneer with Vitamic D-Whole milk. I think mixing Vitamin D with milk is an Govt. regulated, compulsory thing here. Yep, the round ball shown in the photo is prepared with half gallon milk.
    Just like back in India, the milk and its fat content varies from area to area, here also. May be that is the reason for your not-so-good paneer. Try with different brand of milk next time, see if it works. That is the only thing I’d suggest, hope this helps.

    Comment by Anulekha — May 26, 2006 @ 5:24 pm

  10. […] I even made my own paneer and it came out *almost* as good-looking as this one. My dad did not believe I made the cheese myself. Conversation went something like this: […]

    Pingback by Out Of The Garden » Graduation Day Guacamole, et al — June 5, 2006 @ 8:54 pm

  11. Hello. Is the Paneer made with Homogenized milk, or non homogenized?

    Comment by Catherine — August 20, 2006 @ 10:04 am

  12. Interesting cheesemaking lesson. Wish there’d been something placed in that finished paneer ball photo to indicate scale. A spoon or a cup or a hand. Can you please estimate size and/or weight of a paneer ball made from half gallon of milk? Also, is paneer a mild or sharp cheese? Does anyone use it on pizza?

    BTW- the person who inquired about whole milk and Vit A needs to know that Vit A is merely an additive/supplement. “Whole milk” refers to milk that has had no constituents (i.e. fat) removed, compared to “skim” (fat removed) or “evaporated” (some water removed). The Wisconsin Dairy Producers’ website offers an easy to understand glossary –
    http://www.wisdairy.com/OtherDairyProductInfo/Milk/Info.aspx

    Comment by Al Imentary — August 22, 2006 @ 3:01 am

  13. Dear Indira,

    Every Monday I post a link to seven recipes that I’ve found on other blogs that I think are interesting or unique.

    I call it Recipe Carousel because the idea is to spread good recipes around and around and around . . .

    This week is a “made from scratch” special and I have included a photo of and link to your recipe for paneer
    http://morselsandmusings.blogspot.com/2006/08/recipe-carousel-11-made-from-scratch_28.html

    I hope this is OK with you, but if it’s a problem please let me know.

    All the best,
    Anna

    Comment by Anna — August 28, 2006 @ 2:49 am

  14. Hi Indira

    I have tried the paneer recipe and I am not sure where I went wrong because the panner came out too crumbly. It did not set and I am unable to cube it. What should I do differently?
    Thanks
    Irvana

    Comment by Irvana Singh — September 1, 2006 @ 7:28 am

  15. Hi,
    today i made paneer by seeing u’r site it has come very well thank u .
    expecting many more recipes from u

    Comment by dhruvitha — September 20, 2006 @ 10:14 am

  16. Hi indira, thanks for the recipes for paneer, I was wondering, about plants do you know anything about it, I am in UK and have mitho limado (curry plant brought from africa here in uk. It is dying, I dont know how to save it, for information I want to tell you that I have pot it, put some gobar cow manure and put it inside the house, and have some lights all the time near the window, but I think it is getting yelloish, and may die, could u please suggest me something. kind regards.

    Comment by arvind desai — October 2, 2006 @ 8:26 am

  17. […] –> Recipes for Rasgulla referred mostly from Random vibrations and Bawarchi helped me with few tips on pressure cooking. For making paneer, Indira’s step by step method was very useful. […]

    Pingback by Sugar and Spices » Archives » Rasgulla — November 3, 2006 @ 9:28 am

  18. I had one suggestion that whenever you boil milk in pan for any reason just rinse it with water first. There will be a few drops of water still on the pan. Do not dry it. This will save you hours of scrubbing later and milk wont stick. As far as possible avoid using non stick pans when heating/boiling/reducing milk.

    One can also use white vinegar instead of lemon juice or curds/yogurt. It makes for a better taste is used sparingly. Using yogurt makes the softest paneer for Rasgullas.

    Comment by dg — November 20, 2006 @ 12:41 pm

  19. Thanks for the very clear directions and photographs. It came out great!

    Comment by Winnie — November 20, 2006 @ 10:58 pm

  20. Hello Indira,

    thanks for the very nice instructions. I found your site through idlidosa.com that I was recently forwarded. I usually buy paneer from the local Indian grocery store, but nothing beats the feeling of making it fresh at home. I’m glad I discovered your site. I will explore some more for other dishes! – S

    Comment by Surya — November 23, 2006 @ 8:36 am

  21. thanks 4 ur best tips….

    Comment by ninad — December 9, 2006 @ 1:57 am

  22. Is Paneer made with other milks? I was thinking of goats milk. Thanks you for sharing this recipe.

    Indira replies:
    We usually prepare paneer either with buffalo or cows milk. Goats milk – I’ve no idea. If you ever try, please let me know. I’d like to know the method. Thanks.

    Comment by Bob B — January 8, 2007 @ 2:16 pm

  23. Nice instructions for making Paneer.
    However, I am curious to know if it will turnout the same way if Skim milk or low fat milk is used in place of whole milk, since whole milk has a lot of saturated fat!

    Comment by Radhika — January 23, 2007 @ 12:24 pm

  24. ey I was wondering too if skim milk would work too

    Comment by shailesh — January 31, 2007 @ 11:43 am

  25. […] An excellent recipe from an excellent blog with great pictures: http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/2005/06/06/delightful-paneer/ […]

    Pingback by Dave’s Kitchen » Paneer — January 31, 2007 @ 8:02 pm

  26. Hi!

    Can we follow the same recipe with skim milk?

    Comment by Bindu — February 12, 2007 @ 6:50 pm

  27. Hi, all

    Cheese is basically milk fats, solidified by the addition of a curdling agent. The lower the fat content of the milk, the lower the yield of cheese – (paneer in this case). The softer the cheese, the lower the fat content, so the thing to do is stick to soft cheeses, if you are concerned about it’s fat content.

    Comment by Graham T — March 5, 2007 @ 6:19 pm

  28. I tried this recipe today. It turned out perfect. It was much better than the paneer I buy at the Indian Grocery. I liked the fresh taste and my kids loved it also. Thank you for posting. It was so easy.

    Comment by Kelli from Iowa — March 14, 2007 @ 4:42 pm

  29. i tried making the paneer from vit D milk. It came out excellent. Thanks.

    Comment by jayasri — April 13, 2007 @ 9:25 am

  30. We’ve made paneer with 1% cow’s milk for years at home, and recently I’ve made it several times with whole cow’s milk. I find that whole milk produces a softer, tastier product that stays together better. (It’s also noticeably yellowish from the milkfat.) Sometimes the 1% paneer will crumble. The paneer consists of solidified milk proteins (white) and the fat (creamy yellow) left in the milk adds smoothness and taste. So, less fat = less tasty. 😉

    My method is similar, but after milk comes to a boil I take it from the stove and add lemon juice while stirring until curdling starts. Then I cover and let it rest for ten minutes to finish curdling. To drain, I line a colander with a clean cotton hankie and pour in the curds and whey. The whey will drain off a little and then I tie it into as tight a ball as possible and let it hang from a cupboard door or the faucet.

    The longer it’s left to hang, the denser and drier it becomes. So, I usually leave it at least an hour or two before transfering to fridge.

    I’ve just acquired two gallons fresh whole goat’s milk and am going to see if I can produce respectable paneer from it. I know the proteins are different and it’s got more fa† than whole cow’s milk. It may take more acid to curdle. I’ll post again with the results.

    Comment by Leela — April 20, 2007 @ 5:31 pm

  31. The paneer from fresh whole goat’s milk was quite successful. The curds were finer (it was quite soft) and the color was pure white. It seemed to take a little more lemon juice but I couldn’t tell for sure. And it fried up nicely too. So, overall I was satisfied with the result.

    Indira replies:
    Hi Leela, I was eagerly waiting for your comment about goat’s milk paneer. Glad to hear that your experiment went well. Now I can try as well. How is the taste? Did you notice any difference between regular paneer and goat’s milk paneer? Is it significant?
    So what did you make with goat milk paneer?:)
    Happy cooking and experimenting, Leela. Thanks for taking time to post about your trails and triumphs. I greatly appreciate it.

    Comment by Leela — April 26, 2007 @ 11:41 pm

  32. How much paneer should I end up with???
    Considering I started with a half gallon of milk, it doesn’t seem like there’s much paneer as a result!!

    Comment by Katherine — May 9, 2007 @ 4:09 pm

  33. The taste was very good. I personally could taste a very slight goaty flavor, but my mother couldn’t tell the difference between paneer from goat’s and cow’s milk. Anyways, it didn’t bother me at all.
    I thought it was interesting that the raw goat’s milk had no goaty flavor until it was boiled. It tasted similar to homogenised whole cow’s milk (because the fat doesn’t separate). There must be a chemical change due to the heating. Incidentally, the ultra pasteurised goat milk from the store has a very strong flavor.
    After frying, we froze the paneer for some expected future company. But we usually make palak or matar paneer. Occasionally we make paneer parathas or paneer pakoras for a treat. Yum!

    Comment by Leela — May 10, 2007 @ 12:14 pm

  34. Hi Indira! I love your blog. I recently made paneer using goats milk as I am lactose intolerant. Loved reading your post to see how you did it to compare notes 🙂
    Here’s mine: http://eatlikeagirl.wordpress.com/2007/05/30/some-amateur-cheesemaking-homemade-paneer/

    Indira replies:
    Hi Elg,
    Thanks and congratulations on successfully making the paneer. Your photos look super good. So how was the taste? Did you notice any major difference between regular and goat’s milk paneer?

    Comment by eatlikeagirl — June 1, 2007 @ 3:00 am

  35. Thanks! It tasted very good. Slightly goat-y but not as strong as chevre, for example. It had a great texture too. I prefer buffalo milk but will make this again for a change.

    Comment by eatlikeagirl — June 5, 2007 @ 4:04 am

  36. Hi Indira,

    While I was boiling the milk, it got spoiled. So is it good/safe to make paneer from such accidentally spoiled milk?

    Thanks
    Sheetal

    Comment by Sheetal — June 10, 2007 @ 10:09 pm

  37. Hi Indira,

    One more thing I wanted to know…thay while making paneer, wverybody throws off the whey…i read somewhere that its very nutritious…do u have any idea in what way this whey can be used in any recipe

    i guess it can be used to knead the flour for making rotis…it may make the roti soft i presume…haven’t tried it, will try it and let u know…meanwhile if u have any innovative idea do share…

    thanks

    Comment by Sheetal — June 10, 2007 @ 10:32 pm

  38. Hey, hey! Don’t discard the whey. It has nutrients and flavour in it. Use it as a base for soup or a marinade or part of the liquid portion for cakes, breads, etc. Because it is acidic, it should make them lighter.

    Comment by Daphne — June 12, 2007 @ 3:57 pm

  39. Thank you for creating a most creative and substantive food blog. Mahanandi truly catches the spirit of Indian home cooking covering both basic and gourment recipes. Discovering and visiting this website has been pure joy.It has driven me to some serious cooking. You must have many grateful people reaching for your food blog.
    Thank you.
    Padmaja

    Comment by Padmaja Challakere — June 13, 2007 @ 7:11 pm

  40. hi Indira
    thank you for ur demonstration,Actually i was looking for this for a long time.

    Comment by suja — June 25, 2007 @ 12:51 pm

  41. […] Unsure about what to do with your homemade paneer? Check out this lovely alternate recipe for and using paneer, or this recipe for Paneer Jalfrezi in Ahaar: Pleasure and Substance. […]

    Pingback by Book of Yum - Blog — July 18, 2007 @ 11:01 pm

  42. Hello Indra,
    Can you let me know how much (Qty) of buffalo milk is required to make 1 Kg. Paneer.

    Regards

    Comment by Vineet Verma — July 25, 2007 @ 4:30 am

  43. I used this method beacuse I want to make sag paneer palak from your website. And the paneer came out so beautiful. The only variation I did was,
    1.I put a cutboard in a slanting position..
    2.Instead of hanging the curds I kept the curds on this cutting board and I used my 5 pound pestel to sit on the curds for half an hour and then immediately i refrigerated.
    This way I saved a lot of time. Thank you for the great recipe. I’m going to try lots of your other recipes.

    Comment by sushma — August 1, 2007 @ 11:28 am

  44. Hi Indira,

    Your site has been delightfully informative always.

    Thanks a lot for all the tasty recipes, posted with mouth watering photos…

    Your site keeps my kitchen Rocking 🙂

    Comment by Archana — October 23, 2007 @ 1:04 pm

  45. I just wanted to point out that most of the time “Vitamin D” milk is simply whole milk with Vitamin D added to it. Check the fat content of the milk you are buying. The higher the fat content, the better, at least when making cheese is concerned.

    Secondly, you can also save the whey and use it in recipes in place of water, such as for some curries and other dishes.

    Comment by Andrew — November 2, 2007 @ 10:26 am

  46. Hi Indira ji,
    All your recires are really great.These basic lessons in cooking all the most useful though. Somebody was enquiring about the hardness of their cheese. I think you need to squeeze just a little less lemon juice to have it soft. And the best way to store paneer is to immerse it in a bowl of water which you need to change everyday until you are going to use it. this way it should stay good for a week atleast. Grat going.

    Comment by jyotsna — November 25, 2007 @ 9:26 pm

  47. Help! I have often made paneer before nad all as been fine. But today I made paneer from 16 gallons milk for a party, and hung it for about an hour , after which I put a weight on it. It is too soft, like a dough. what should I do? I have to make karahi paneer.

    Hi Nidhi,
    The problem is due to large quantity, I think. Divide the soft paneer into small portions and hang them individually. This will definitely helps to speed up the process and firms up the paneer.
    – Indira

    Comment by nidhi — November 30, 2007 @ 4:37 am

  48. Thanks Indira Ji, I will remember to do so next time. This time I just made karahi paneer with my “dough” and it ended up looking like shahi paneer but the day was saved. How many hours do you recommend hanging the paneer for?

    Comment by Nidhi — December 2, 2007 @ 6:08 am

  49. I think Nidhi madam, when you find the paneer too soft, the best option would be to mix 1 tsp cornflour in it, rub/mix it nicely and make balls of it (koftas), fry it lighly in oil and use it as required.

    Comment by jyotsna — December 2, 2007 @ 8:25 pm

  50. Very enlightening, I just tried this, well I’m not done yet, its still sitting, I’m very excited about how it will come out. I love food, so experimenting is great fun for me of late I’ve been travelling to India via cuisine and your website has been very intriguing thus far, I’ll definitely be trying alot of your recipes.

    Comment by Chantal — December 30, 2007 @ 4:07 pm

  51. Tried the paneer for the first time tonight and it turned out wonderfully! I did use an extra tablespoon of lime juice (about 1/4 c. total) and used a weighted saucer over a fine-mesh strainer instead of tying it in cheesecloth. It worked nicely. Thanks so much!

    Comment by Rebecca — January 1, 2008 @ 3:56 pm

  52. DISCARD THE WHEY??!! I haven’t the time to read the comments, but I hope I’m not the only dissident. My mother taught me to always keep the whey. It is an excellent, healthy choice for baking homemade bread, quickbreads, etc. It stores for quite a few days sealed in the fridge. I imagine it could also be used as a base in other dishes also. Otherwise, thanks for the excellent recipe with great accompanying pics. Just needed a reminder:) I’m making pakoras tonight, this is the first time I’m making them with cheese, though. Wish me luck.

    Comment by brownwhyte — January 17, 2008 @ 12:03 pm

  53. Thank you! This was a wonderful recipe, and I made my first ball of paneer tonight. I only used 2 cups of milk, since it was a test ball–now I’ve eaten the entire yummy yield.

    Comment by lane — January 21, 2008 @ 7:38 pm

  54. What a fantastic website! I can’t wait to try all these paneer recipes!!

    Comment by michael — February 1, 2008 @ 8:53 pm

  55. Your recipe for making paneer is good. But how do I convert the paneer ball into flat paneer so that I can have paneer pieces?

    Comment by sona sethi — February 12, 2008 @ 4:27 am

  56. To Sona Sethi:
    What you need are two flat things (I use an inverted dinner plate, a small cutting board and a cookie pan with a rim). You place the ball of cheese on the inverted plate, put them both in the pan with the rim, then place the board on top of the cheese, then put something heavy on top of the board. Use something heavy enough to squish the whole thing flat. I use a an old flat iron, but not everyone has one of those! After about an hour the whey has all run out of the bag, down the rim of the plate, and has gathered in the pan. The cheese is pretty flat and ready to cut. I just tried this today and it works great.

    Comment by Judi Nyerges-Beaudoin — February 16, 2008 @ 11:42 am

  57. Oooops. Said dinner plate. Meant PIE PLATE – flat bottom . .. 🙂

    Comment by Judi — February 16, 2008 @ 11:49 am

  58. Where do I get a cheese cloth?

    Comment by sid — February 24, 2008 @ 7:26 am

  59. I would like to know, how do you get the paneer to be as hard as the ones you get in the shops, the ones made at home are rather fragile, is it some ingredient added, or do you really have to flatten it to stop it crumbling.

    Regards

    Jayesh

    Comment by Jayeshkumar Roy — February 24, 2008 @ 9:22 am

  60. I found your website is very helpful.
    Thanks for your paneer. My husband and I really enjoy it. It is not too hard cooking good tasting Indian food by following your steps.

    Thank again.

    Comment by Benjawan Mittal — March 7, 2008 @ 5:21 am

  61. I like this mixed with preserved fruits and spread on toast, or mixed with garlic, nuts, and herbs and spread on toasted English muffins.

    Comment by Judy — March 11, 2008 @ 6:02 pm

  62. Hi, I love your site. Very informative. Is it possible to substitute a half a lemon for the lime?
    thank you.

    Hi D,
    Yes. Lemon or lime, yogurt or vinegar, they are all good to curdle the milk.
    -Indira

    Comment by d — March 19, 2008 @ 11:03 pm

  63. […] I was pointed toward a recipe called “Delightful Paneer” on a food and photo blog called Mahanandi. I was thrilled to learn of the simple ingredients (a lime, whole milk, and cheesecloth) and simple process of homemade paneer, and decided right then that it’s what we would be having Friday night. […]

    Pingback by mmm… food… » Sarson da Saag (Mustard greens, Spinach & Paneer) — March 29, 2008 @ 11:29 am

  64. I like to use the whey to make fresh Ricotta. If you mix a quart of milk with the whey from a one gallon cheese recipe, warm it to about 100 F for about an hour, then bring it to 200 F or just under a boil. Then slowly add 1/3 cup white vinegar or lemon juice, stir for five minutes and remove from the heat. Chill in the fridge 8-10 hours then allow cheese to drain for several hours in a colander lined with cheese cloth. Salt the ricotta to taste and store in a sealable container.

    Comment by LeeAnn — April 1, 2008 @ 1:39 pm

  65. Hi, I followed the instructions, but the milk never curdled. It just became a little thicker and glossier with tiny little curds but never thickened up no matter how much I cooked and added more lime juice. Any ideas what I did wrong? Thanks, Laura

    Comment by Laura — April 14, 2008 @ 11:26 am

  66. Hi Indira,
    thanks for your great detailed recipe. It works! The only small disappointment I had was that the quantity was very little compared with your gorgeous picture…I used half a gallon of whole milk.
    Maybe next time I will make it with a full gallon. It is still much more economical compared with buying paneer at the indian grocery store.
    thanks for the great recipe, what an enormous help your site is to all of us trying to recreate good healthy flavorful food at home.
    Really appreciate your brilliant efforts.

    Comment by Aarti — April 20, 2008 @ 9:18 am

  67. Hi Indira Garu,
    Recently i came through your web site, your are doing a great job, thanks for all your recipes, keep it up, and GOD bless you for your wonderful work

    Comment by rani — June 25, 2009 @ 10:35 pm

  68. I have to admire your unselfishness in taking the time to make this web site.

    Comment by VN — September 30, 2009 @ 4:55 am

  69. SAVE the whey! Please tell people this. It is such a waste to throw this excellent food down the drain. No, no, no! Even if they don’t have time to use it in a fruity milkshake, or cake or whatever… at least they could water their plants with it! For shame to waste useful food.

    Comment by Trude — January 7, 2010 @ 10:51 pm

  70. […] Whether a generations-old family favorite, or right off the Web, Anand’s palek paneer was awesome and I had to try it. I followed the link (to the charming and informative Indira’s cooking blog, Mahanandi) and found it, to my delight and terror, called for homemade paneer. […]

    Pingback by Veggie Might: Make Your Own Paneer (Fresh Indian Cheese) | Health News — January 15, 2010 @ 8:23 am

  71. i love indian food, so i tried this recipe, but there was only a little bit of paneer, about enough to hold in your hand. did i do something wrong?

    Comment by Akkoh — April 1, 2010 @ 9:42 pm

  72. Can you make paneer from powdered milk/ tinned milk powder? e.g. regilait/nido/nespray/anchor

    I usually drink low-fat/non-fat fresh milk and don’t have it readily available in the house. I do, however, have powdered whole and low-fat milk for family members who use it in tea/cooking. Can you make paneer by dissolving powdered milk in water and then bringing it to a boil, adding lemon juice thereafter?

    Comment by firsttimepaneer-maker — October 4, 2010 @ 12:55 pm

  73. […] Det gÃ¥r ocksÃ¥ att koagulera mjölk med vinäger eller citronsaft, som när du gör panir eller ricotta, eftersom de är naturligt sura. Mer syra krävs om mjölken är kallare, mindre mängder räcker om mjölken värms, eftersom proteinerna ocksÃ¥ pÃ¥verkas av värmen. […]

    Pingback by Mjölkens kemi #3: Sur och ystad mjölk — Matmolekyler pÃ¥ Taffel.se — November 8, 2010 @ 1:34 pm

  74. hi indira 2day i learn making paneer vit ur help THANKS ALOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.

    Comment by najma — January 15, 2011 @ 4:52 pm

  75. Hi Indira,
    made the Palak paneer your recipe and it turned out to be really yum..n lots of punch!!
    Hey cannot open the links on the left menu though..i want to try out many recipes..can you please tell me why,is the website temporarily down or something!
    please reply,
    would be regular to your website!
    cheers,
    parchi

    Comment by prachi — March 21, 2011 @ 9:46 pm

  76. […] Make cheese: Paneer. Paneer is an indian soft, fresh cheese. Sour milk works great for paneer, which is a very mild cheese. Once you have the paneer, add it in cubes to dishes such as Saag Paneer (a yummy spinach sauce). […]

    Pingback by What to Do with Sour Milk | Frugal Fun - Crafts for Kids - Dollar Store Mom — April 2, 2011 @ 11:24 am

  77. keep the whey. dont throw it. you can boil basmati rice in it for delightful flavour.
    or use it to knead dough for chapatis.
    they turn out excellent and soft.

    Comment by ba — May 13, 2011 @ 1:25 am

  78. love your recipe. Sooo easy!! But don’t throw away your whey!! Your plants and garden will LOVE it. My chard, tomatoes and spinac can send you a testimonial. (if they had opposable thumbs)hee hee

    Comment by Dawn — June 17, 2011 @ 5:42 pm

  79. […] Paneer Pakora are essentially the Indian version of a cheese stick. They are my family’s favorite appetizer when we go out for Indian food. Fortunately they are extremely simple to prepare at home. If you can’t find paneer at your local Indian grocer, it’s also simple to make yourself. […]

    Pingback by Paneer Pakora | — July 12, 2011 @ 4:22 pm

  80. I am wanting to try this recipe. Please can you confirm whether the milk is measured by US gallon or UK gallon? What is the quantity of milk in litre? Also what is the appoximate weight of the finished paneer when using half gallon milk? Many thanks.

    Comment by LizB — August 31, 2011 @ 1:25 am

  81. […] Well, as with most “simple things”, I manage to make them harder for myself. This was no exception. I followed this great blog post for instructions. What I thought would take maybe an hour to do plus 2-3 hours to refrigerate turned into a grueling 3 hour process of stirring, swearing, and shouting “Be CHEESE!” at my not-cheese. […]

    Pingback by Homemade Paneer - fanofstuff.com — February 2, 2013 @ 12:48 pm

  82. […] If you’re like me, the very word paneer (Indian cheese) makes your mouth water, bringing to your mind visions of soft and luscious white chunks. It is also referred as cottage cheese; this versatile ingredient is as easy to make fresh at home as to find in the market. However, when the paneer is store bought always ensure you settle on the lump that appears milky white and soft (press lightly to check). Also take a sniff to verify its freshness. Even though it is better to make your own paneer at home I simply just can’t resist stacking this multipurpose ingredient in the refrigerator but before using it making sure that you thaw the paneer at room temperature and put in warm water to soften it.  I would say that my ventures in making paneer at home so far have not been successful. It would either be too hard and chewy or the paneer would just crumple after putting it in the dish. But I came across this wonderful blog by Indira who explains the making of paneer in a very simple way. What you need: Paneer, cut into cubes – 200 gm Carrots, large – 1 French beans – 6-7 Peas – ½ cup Onion, big – 1 Tomatoes – 4 Green chilly – 1 Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp Cashew nuts – 10 Khus-khus (poppy seeds) – 1 tbsp Chilli powder – 1 tsp Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp Garam masala powder – 1 tsp Salt – to taste Oil – 4 tbsp. Kasuri methi – 1 tsp (optional) Cream – 2 tbsp (optional) Prepare: Shallow fry the paneer cubes with little oil till they turn golden brown and put them in warm water. This is to keep the paneer soft and not to become chewy. Cut the carrots and french beans into finger length size. Pressure cook the cut carrots, French beans and the peas for one whistle duration. In a little warm water soak the khus-khus for 10 minutes and along with cashew nuts grind it to a fine paste. Cut onion and 1 tomato into large cubes. Make the remaining 3 tomatoes into puree in a mixie jar. What to do: In a kadai heat the remaining oil and add the cubed onions and sauté them till the become translucent. Now add the ginger garlic paste and toss them around with the onions till the raw smell disappears. Add the tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes become a little mushy. At this stage add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder and sauté for 5 minutes. […]

    Pingback by Paneer and Veggies in tomato gravy. | Tickling Palates — October 13, 2014 @ 8:32 am

  83. […] Well, as with most “simple things”, I manage to make them harder for myself. This was no exception. I followed this great blog post for instructions. What I thought would take maybe an hour to do plus 2-3 hours to refrigerate turned into a grueling 3 hour process of stirring, swearing, and shouting “Be CHEESE!” at my not-cheese. […]

    Pingback by Homemade Paneer - (mostly) Adventurous Eating — August 15, 2015 @ 12:48 am

  84. […] and illustrated about making of paneer at home. You can check it here. Author KareemPosted on May 27, 2009April 16, 2016Tags CURRIES / GRAVIES / SIDEDISHES […]

    Pingback by Mutter Paneer Masala – Yummy Food — April 16, 2016 @ 2:45 am

  85. I am hoping the same best effort from you in the future as well. In fact your creative writing skills has inspired me.

    Comment by Linux VPS — May 1, 2019 @ 1:11 am

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