Homemade Paneer Cheese
Description
The appetizer is quick and easy to make. The cheese is made from milk with chicken eggs added. Choose the type of milk to your taste: cow’s, goat’s, soy, etc. It is especially tasty with various add-ins: spices, seasonings, finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs. Serve the cheese chilled, sliced into portion-sized pieces, with black or rye bread, baguette, or lavash.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the specified ingredients. Use only sour milk, as it curdles when heated. If you have fresh milk, you will also need to add 2 tbsp. of 6% vinegar or lemon juice.
- 2
Step 2
Beat the chicken eggs into a deep container: a salad bowl or mixing bowl. Add salt. Add other spices or seasonings too, if you plan to.
- 3
Step 3
Whisk everything thoroughly with a whisk for 2-3 minutes, mixing the yolks well with the whites.
- 4
Step 4
Pour the prepared sour milk into the container and whisk everything thoroughly until the egg mixture is well combined with it.
- 5
Step 5
Pour everything into a kazan or a pot with a nonstick bottom and place the container on the stove over medium heat. Do not heat the milk on high — moderate warming is important so the whey separates well from the cheese curds.
- 6
Step 6
After 20 minutes, the cheese curds will start to rise to the top and the milk will fully separate.
- 7
Step 7
Line the colander with a double layer of cheesecloth or a special cheese-making mesh. Place the colander over a bowl or pot and pour all the contents of the kazan into it. The whey will drain into the bowl, and the cheese curds will remain in the cheesecloth. Let it rest for 15 minutes to cool. At this stage, you can mix in finely chopped herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped nuts.
- 8
Step 8
Then gather up the edges of the cheesecloth and tie them together to form a ball. Press it lightly to remove excess whey and place it on a plate. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or better yet, leave it overnight.
- 9
Step 9
Remove the cheesecloth and take out the prepared homemade paneer. It will hold its shape very well.
- 10
Step 10
Slice it with a sharp knife, wetting the knife after each cut. Serve as a cold appetizer with vegetables, bread, or sauces. Enjoy your meal!