I messed up my paneer at lunchtime today: the solid stuff wasn't in big enough chunks, so it was too crumbly.
There's something I've never been quite clear about re making paneer: when the milk is boiling and one adds the lemon juice, do you:
(a) keep the heat on the pan or not?
(b) keep stirring? Does that just break up the solids?
Phil
Once the milk is boiling, turn the heat down to medium.
Then, add the lemon juice (or vinegar or whichever curdling agent you are using) teaspoon by teaspoon, stir each one in, until the milk curdles. Basically, you only want to add enough to curdle the milk, no more, the more you add the more it might affect the taste.
Once you have added enough lemon juice that it's definitely curdling, take it off the heat completely and just leave it for a few minutes.
Then you can strain it into a muslin- or handkerchief-lined sieve.
Once it's mostly drained, tie the cloth closed, shape it into a rough ball, and put it onto a plate or tray with a lip (or in a very clean sink) with a flat heavy item on top, perhaps a pan with water in, or a thick chopping board.
It's the pressing that will keep the cheese from crumbling when you cook with it. The better it's compressed, the less it crumbles later.
Thanks, Kavita.
I didn't add the lemon juice a little at a time, and I put the juice of a whole lemon in. result: the paneer tasted lemony (which is ok, actually).
Nor did I turn it down to medium and then take it off the heat and leave it.
But I got the ball and heavy weight thing right.
Should be ok next time.
Phil
Phil, if you don't mind the lemony flavour, no problem at all adding the lemon juice all at once! And likewise, the method about removing from heat is not only way it would work, just how mum does it, so very pleased it worked out for you with keeping it on heat. What did you cook with the paneer? :-)