You will need...
- Equipment: colander, saucepan, thermometer, cheesecloth, slot[1]ted spoon
- Ingredients: 4L whole milk, 2tsp citric acid, 2tsp salt
Making Paneer...
- Dissolve 2tsp citric acid in 60ml of cold water
- Heat the milk to 880C being careful not to burn it
- Add the citric acid solution to the milk and stir gently
- Wait: allow to cool and settle for 10 minutes. You should have distinct, coagulated curds and yellowish whey. If not, then heat the milk back up to temperature and add a little more citric acid
- Drain: transfer the curds and whey into the cheesecloth placed inside a colander, allow to drain until the whey is no longer running out. Sprinkle on the salt and mix into the curds
- Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth and give it a squeeze to remove some more whey then tie it up into a bundle
- Press: place the cheesecloth bundle onto a chopping board and place another board or a plate on top of it. Place approx. 1kg of weight onto the board and leave for one hour (at this point stop pressing the cheese if you’re making chhena and skip to the Making Chhena instructions)
- For Paneer: increase the weight gradually over a few hours until Mozzarella and Burrata Panneer Chhena you have approx. 3kg pressing the cheese. The cheese will be best after 3-4 hours of pressing (for Chhena skip this stage)
- Eat: this is a fresh cheese and is ready to eat immediately, it can be stored in a fridge for up to 5 days
