Saturday, May 25, 2013

Paneer is an ancient

Paneer is an ancient Indian word that simply means ‘cheese’. Indian cheese making traditions are simple. Paneer can be made from any milk, homogenized or un-homogenized, full fat or low fat though a high fat milk will yield more cheese because of its higher solids content. Paneer is a close cousin to Ricotta. 
Paneer is an Indian cheese which is used in many recipes for appetizers, main courses and desserts. It does not melt when heated. Paneer is very easy to make at home.
To make paneer, all you have to do is bring milk to a high temperature, then add an acidic ingredient to it.
Which could be any vinegar or lemon juice that will yield a different paneer. But Paneer made with lemon juice will be softer and more difficult to strain then when made with vinegar.
But in India, paneer is made traditionally by adding yoghurt to the hot milk. Yoghurt is much less acidic than vinegar or lemon juice.
How to flavor paneer .. When milk curdles and it is strained through a muslin cloth..
If you wish to flavor the Paneer with herbs or spices, this is the time to do it. Add in dried or fresh herbs to give the cheese another level of flavor. Or add fresh edible flower petals.
The paneer should be pressed with weight for approx 30 minutes at least. Salt can be added to the paneer after it has been pressed and Knead it well.
The whey which remains while making paneer can best be used to knead chapatti dough or as a stock for soups and curries.

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