Food Friday: Fat Free Paneer

Cheese.  Cheese is one of my favorite foods.  I particularly love goat cheese and recently was fortunate enough to get my hands on some fresh, soft rosemary-garlic sheep's milk cheese that was amazing.  Expensive, but amazing. 

This cheese is pretty tasty, too.  Paneer is a mild, fresh (unaged) Indian cheese that is used a lot in South Asian cooking.  It is easy to make and even my picky 14 year old will eat it.  Even if he has to pick it out of whatever awful thing I have put it in that he won't eat, he will eat the cheese.  :) 

Please note:  This recipe uses fat-free milk.  You are welcome to use whole milk or 2% milk for a 'richer' tasting cheese, but then it won't be fat free.  Still good, though. 


Fat Free Paneer
makes approximately 12 ounces of cheese

Ingredients:

1 gallon fat free milk ( or milk of your choice)
8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

What you do:

Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and set this in your sink.  (If you want to collect the whey for other use place the colander in a large bowl.)

Pour your milk into a stainless steel or enamelled pot and set over medium heat.  Heat slowly, stirring frequently so that the milk doesn't scorch, until it reaches a gentle boil. 

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the salt.  After the salt is dissolved, slowly drizzle in the lemon juice, stirring constantly.  Stir over low heat for about 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and let sit for about 15 minutes.  You should now have curds floating in the liquid.  Gently pour the contents of your pot into the colander (Or use a ladle and transfer it that way) and strain out the liquid, leaving the curds in the cheesecloth.  Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and tie it, squeezing out as much liquid as you can.  Place back in the colander in the sink and let it drain for another 2-3 hours.    

For firmer cheese, place a plate on top of the cheese and weigh it down with something heavy, like a large can or a brick while it is draining.  This will press out even more liquid, giving you a nice, firm cheese.  Store covered in the refrigerator after draining. 

You can eat this as is, or use it in your recipes, and you get to feel all superior and brag to your friends because you made your own cheese!  :)    Next week I may tell you how to make your own crackers, too.  :)