Fat Free Paneer Recipes

HOW TO MAKE PANEER

Steps:

• Pour milk to a heavy bottom pot & bring it to a gentle boil on a medium heat. Keep stirring occasionally to ensure the milk doesn't get scorched at the bottom.
• Meanwhile place a colander over a large bowl to collect the whey. Spread a cheese cloth over the colander.
• When the milk comes to a boil, turn off the stove and pour 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
• Stir it well for 1 to 2 mins until the entire milk curdles completely. (milk solids begin to separate from the whey). When done correctly whey will be not be milky any more but will be clear.
• Troubleshooting: If you see the milk doesn't curdle fully, then add 1 tbsp vinegar and turn ON the stove. Boil the milk on a medium heat until the whole pot of milk curdles. Turn off as soon as you see it curdles. If you continue to cook at this stage, paneer can become hard.
• Gently pour the entire paneer along with whey to the colander. Pour some cold water to stop the paneer from cooking further.
• Rinse it under running water to remove the smell & taste of the vinegar.
• Wring the cheese cloth making a round shape of the paneer. Squeeze any excess whey or water. Make a knot and hang the paneer for 30 mins so the excess whey drains.
• Remove the knot and twist the edges of the cloth. Place the cheese cloth along with the paneer on a flat colander or a wooden board. Press down the cloth & place a heavy object on it for the paneer to set. (check the video below)
• I usually put a pot or cast iron pan over the paneer and then place a 2 to 3 kg rice pack.
• After 3 to 4 hours, remove the cloth and cut the paneer to cubes.
• Refrigerate the homemade paneer and use up with 2 to 3 weeks. Or freeze up to 3 months.
• Avoid overcooking the paneer after adding it to the curry. It does not need much cooking. I generally add it to the gravy and turn off the stove. Keep the pan covered so the paneer absorbs the flavors.

HOMEMADE PANEER (FRESH INDIAN COTTAGE CHEESE)

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a large saucepan over medium high heat until the top becomes foamy, just as looks like it's about to boil.
• Turn stove off. Add lemon juice and stir for 1 minute. The milk should begin to curdle. If it doesn't, turn the stove back on and bring back to a gentle boil until the solids separate.
• Line strainer or colander: Place over a deep bowl. Line strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth (Note 1).
• Strain: Ladle in half of the curdled milk to begin with, then pour the rest in. Leave until all the liquid drains - this might take 5 to 10 minutes.
• Rinse: Discard liquid (whey) in the bowl. Bundle the paneer up in the cheesecloth (it will still be quite watery at this stage) then rinse bundle briefly under cold tap water. This helps to remove lemon flavour + cool for easier handling.
• Squeeze out excess water by twisting the cheesecloth and squeezing the bundle, but not so hard that paneer squeezes out through the cloth. Once liquid no longer comes out, stop. The paneer will still be quite soft at this stage.
• Weigh cheese down with weights: Shape cheese into a disc around 2cm / ¾" thick, still wrapped in cheesecloth. Place in a strainer or colander set over a bowl. Top with a small plate then 2 x 400g/14oz cans (or similar weight).
• Refrigerate for 4 hours. During this time the paneer will set (become firm) and remaining liquid will drain out. (Note 2)
• Remove paneer from fridge and carefully unwrap. There will be a dent in the middle, this is normal (it's from the draining).
• At this stage, the paneer is now ready for use. You can either cut it immediately and use in a recipe (such as Palak Paneer!), or store the whole uncut block for another time and just cut when needed.
• Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for 3 months.

NON-FAT PANEER

Steps:

• Place a large strainer lined with a cheese cloth in a large bowl. If you don't have cheese cloth a brand new HandiWipe also works well but it tears a bit more easily.
• Use a low to medium heat to slowly bring the milk to boil in a large saucepan.
• Add the lemon juice and begin stirring the milk. The milk will begin to curdle and the cheesy lumps will begin to sink to the bottom of the pan.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to stand for about five minutes. Pour the curdled milk into the strainer. Use the cheese cloth to begin to shaping the paneer cheese into a ball.
• Fold the cheese cloth over the ball of cheese and place on a flat surface. Place a heavily weighted pan or a cast iron skillet on the cheese for 20 minutes to drain out any of the remaining liquid (whey). If you like, you can press on it a bit to make sure you are running the excess liquid out of the cheese.
• The paneer is now ready to be used in your favorite dishes.

LOW FAT PANEER ( HOW TO MAKE LOW FAT PANEER)

Steps:

• MethodPut the milk to boil in a deep pan, while stirring occasionally.When it starts boiling, switch off the flame and wait for 1 minute.Add the curds, while stirring gently and wait for 2 minutes.Once the milk has curdled, strain using a muslin cloth. This is crumbled paneer.If you want solid paneer, place the paneer into the muslin cloth in a 125 mm. (5") paneer mould or any mould. Press it with a lid.Remove the paneer from the muslin cloth and after 1 hour, cut into even sized cubes or grate it and use as required.
• Handy tip:To store paneer, place it in enough water in an air-tight container and keep refrigerated.

FAT-FREE PANEER

Steps:

• Bring milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed stock pot, stirring frequently. As soon as the milk starts boiling (around 212F), remove from heat.
• Stir in yogurt. Add 1/2 tbsp lemon juice and stir. Add more as required until the milk curdles and separates from the whey.
• Place a cheese cloth in the bottom of a large bowl or in the bottom of a strainer. Pour the curdled milk into the cloth. Bring the sides of the cloth together and tie it. Wash it in running water to remove any lemon flavor. Hang the bundle over a bowl. Gentle squeeze to remove any excess water. Leave for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes have passed, shape the bundle into the shape you would like your paneer to be (but don't remove it from the cheese cloth!). Place the shaped bundle in a shallow pan and place a heavy object on top of it. Let rest for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, unwrap the cloth and enjoy! The paneer may be kept in the refrigerator in a zip-lock bag for up to one week or frozen for longer.