Making paneer at home is easier than you think! Just 2 ingredients and 30 minutes is all you need to create soft, fresh, and chemical-free paneer that's perfect for all your favorite dishes.
🚨 Why Make Paneer at Home?
With rising concerns about *fake or adulterated paneer* flooding the market, making paneer at home is the safest choice for your family. Here's what you need to know:
⚠️ Common Adulterations in Market Paneer:
❌ Starch Addition – Many manufacturers add starch, maida, or cornflour to increase weight and volume
❌ Synthetic Milk – Some use reconstituted milk powder or synthetic milk instead of fresh milk
❌ Harmful Chemicals – Urea, detergent, and other chemicals are sometimes added to increase shelf life
❌ Vegetable Oils – Cheap oils mixed in to reduce costs, affecting taste and nutrition
❌ Water Retention Agents – Excess water added with binding agents to increase weight
✅ Benefits of Homemade Paneer:
✔️ 100% Pure – Only milk and natural acid, nothing else!
✔️ No Preservatives – Fresh with no chemicals or additives
✔️ Cost-Effective – Often cheaper than buying adulterated market paneer
✔️ Better Taste – Fresher, softer, and more flavorful
✔️ Healthier – Higher protein content, no hidden ingredients
✔️ Control Quality – You choose the milk quality
Making your own paneer eliminates all these risks!
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📋 Ingredients
- 1 liter full-fat milk (use toned milk for low fat paneer )
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar
- Water for diluting the acid
Optional:
- Pinch of salt (for flavored paneer)
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👩🍳 Instructions
Step 1: Boil the Milk
Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pan and bring it to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom. Once it comes to a full boil with bubbles rising, turn off the heat.
Pro Tip: Don't walk away while boiling milk – it can overflow quickly!
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Step 2: Add the Curdling Agent
Mix 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Add this mixture gradually to the hot milk, one tablespoon at a time, while stirring gently.
Watch the magic happen! The milk will start to curdle and separate into curds (solid white lumps) and whey (greenish-yellow liquid).
Important: Stop adding acid as soon as the milk curdles completely. Adding too much can make the paneer hard and rubbery.
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Step 3: Strain the Curds
Place a muslin cloth or clean cotton cloth over a strainer and set it over a large bowl. Pour the curdled milk through the cloth to separate the curds from the whey.
Don't discard the whey! It's packed with nutrients and can be used for kneading dough, making gravies, or even watering plants.
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Step 4: Rinse the Paneer
Rinse the curds under cold running water for 30 seconds. This removes the acidic taste and stops the cooking process, keeping your paneer soft.
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Step 5: Remove Excess Water
Gather the cloth and squeeze out excess water gently. Tie the cloth into a tight bundle and hang it for 10-15 minutes to drain completely.
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Step 6: Set the Paneer
Place the cloth-wrapped paneer on a flat surface. Put a heavy object (like a pan filled with water or a large pot) on top to press it. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes depending on how firm you want it:
- *15-20 minutes* = Soft paneer (great for paneer bhurji)
- *30-40 minutes* = Firm paneer (perfect for paneer tikka or cubes)
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Step 7: Cut & Use
Unwrap the paneer, cut it into cubes or crumble it, and it's ready to use!
Fresh paneer can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep it immersed in water and change the water daily for best results.
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💡 Expert Tips for Perfect Paneer
✅ Use full-fat milk – It yields softer, creamier paneer
✅ Don't over-curdle – Add acid gradually and stop as soon as curds separate
✅ Temperature matters – Milk should be hot but not boiling when you add acid
✅ Press adequately – This determines the texture of your paneer
✅ Rinse well – Cold water rinse is essential for soft paneer
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🍽️ How to Use Homemade Paneer
Your fresh paneer is now ready for:
- Paneer Butter Masala
- Palak Paneer
- Paneer Tikka
- Paneer Bhurji
- Paneer Paratha
- Mattar Paneer
- Or simply cubed in salads!
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📊 Yield
- 1 liter milk = approximately 150-180g paneer
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❓ Troubleshooting
Paneer too hard? You added too much acid or pressed it for too long.
Milk didn't curdle? Milk wasn't hot enough or acid wasn't strong enough. Try adding a bit more lemon juice.
Paneer too soft? Press it for a longer time under heavier weight.
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