Homemade Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese)

Simmer milk for 5 minutes. If using yogurt or curd, add half first, stir well, then add the remaining yogurt or curd. If using lemon juice, add it 1 tablespoon at a time.

Continue cooking until milk starts curdling, stirring continuously until the whey completely separates. At this stage, take the mixture off heat.

Place cheesecloth over a container (make sure the cheesecloth is large enough for you to gather the corners in to tie) and strain the paneer. If you used lemon juice to curdle the milk, wash the paneer in cold water at least twice to get rid of the lemon flavor.

Bring the edges of the cloth to the center, tie, and hang on a handle or sink tap. Allow the water to drain on its own for an hour, not disturbing it, until all the whey is completely drained.

Flatten the curds and, while still wrapped in the cheesecloth, place on a dosa tawa. Keep the chapathi maker over it and any other heavy weight over the chapathi maker; I used my hand mortar and pestle. (Alternatively, you can use a shallow dish and weigh down the curds to set the paneer.) Allow it to set for at least 2 to 3 hours. It will look crumbled at this stage but don’t worry, it will set properly.

Carefully remove the cloth from the paneer and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into cubes. Store in a airtight container.