Homemade Panir and Masala Paneer (Indian Cheese) Recipe

Paneer is an Indian Cheese that is used in a lot of Indian Recipes – savory and desserts.The beauty of it is that it takes on the flavor of the spices or ingredients that go into the dish it is used in. What we also love is the fact that it is a cheese that does not melt, making it super versatile. Enjoy this Masala Paneer and take your dishes to a whole new level.


Cook Time: 20 min
Set Time: 2 hours
Makes – 10 oz

Ingredients:

Whole Milk – 8 cups
Lemon Juice – 1/4 cup

For Masala Paneer:
Salt – to taste
Cumin Seeds – to taste, roasted and powdered
Dry Red Chilli – to taste, roasted and powdered
Fresh Cilantro Leaves – to taste, chopped

Method:

1. In a medium pot, bring Milk to a boil.
2. Slowly add Lemon Juice to the milk while continuously stirring.
3. Within 10-15 seconds, Milk should start to separate from the whey.
4. The milk is completely separated when the whey is a light greenish color.
5. Switch off the stove and let the pot sit for a few minutes.
6. Line a colander with cheese cloth or thin cotton cloth and place it over a large bowl.
7. Pour milk solids and whey into the colander.
8. Take opposite ends of the cloth and tie together lifting the cloth out of the colander.
9. Hang the cloth with the paneer from the spoon handle in a jug or from a tap. The paneer bundle should be hanging without touching the bottom.
10. After approx 30 minutes to an hour, remove the bundle, open and put the Paneer into a bowl.
11. Use as Plain Paneer or proceed further to make Masala Paneer.
12. Crumble the Paneer once it is cool to touch.
13. Add in Salt to taste, some Cumin & Dry Red Chilli Masala and Cilantro Leaves. Knead.
14. Make a ball and place in between some plastic wrap and roll out flat with help of a rolling pin to the desired thickness.
15. Allow to set and harden up in the refrigerator for about an hour.
16. Remove and cut to desired size and shape.
17. Refrigerate or freeze till ready to use.

Tips:

1. Vinegar can be used in place of Lemon Juice to separate the milk from whey.
2. Save the whey as it can be used to knead chapatti dough or as a stock for soups and curries. If you won’t be using it immediately, freeze it for later use.
3. For making tikkas or a firmer paneer, add 1/2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour to the paneer after hanging it and knead it like a dough. Flatten the paneer out onto a baking dish, keep it in the fridge for about an hour and then cut it into cubes.

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15 thoughts on “Homemade Panir and Masala Paneer (Indian Cheese) Recipe

  1. I personally love paneer so much. We eat paneer frequently but hate the same regular taste everytime. So want to taste something different. ThanQ for the wonderful recipe. HPpy eaTing ?

  2. Enjoyed watching this procedure, now I HAVE to make paneer. Thank you so much. Just one question, can I make paneer out of 2% or 1% milk? Thx.

  3. Just a tip to my fellow viewers – If you find that your Paneer is very crumbly, then next time try to increase the amount of lemon juice/vinegar. I’ve found that vinegar works much better than lemon juice, since I’ll probably have to juice 7-8 lemons to have enough of fresh lemon juice.

  4. I tried making paneer with the lemon juice available in stores but the paneer tuned out to be very sticky and it gets mashy when I put it in the gravy or try to deep fry it.

    What is it that is going wrong?
    Appreciate your help.

    Thanks..

    1. hello Anuja and Heetal….so love your cooking site…quite a learning experience for me…:)
      tried making the paneer…however it did come out a bit sticky but tasted yum anyways….probably coz i used the commercially available lime juice…on the flipside…it did give it an awesome lime flavor which I so loved. just sharing though, an aunt uses both yougurt and vinegar and her paneer comes out firm….

  5. I make paneer at least once a week, and I find that kneading the paneer after hanging it tends to make it less crumbly when you go to use it!

  6. Love the recipe, ladies .. I have tried this .. it came out wonderfully. I prefer masala paneer to plain one any day. Thanks.

  7. Hi,
    This was a great recipe, thanks for sharing. And can you please show a video on how to make chocolate covered almonds and chocolate almond bark. Thanks

  8. Loved the way the paneer was made. Can I microwave it for a few minutes before setting the dish to the fridge? Just to get rid of the raw taste?

    Your website has a collection of wonderful and easy to cook recipes. Way to go !!!

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