paneer cheese

Over low-medium heat, bring 1/2 gallon of milk heat, but do not boil the milk. When the milk is hot, add in 1-2 cups of yogurt (or 1/4 c lemon juice) and stir. The milk 'breaks' (curdles) and the milk solids separate from the whey (liquid). Now, just pour the milk curds through the cheese cloth (a colander is handy for this) and you have your cheese curds ready to go.

Pull the ends of the cheesecloth together, and tie them up. Now, hang the cheese curds on the sink faucet to drain for at least 1/2 hour (longer is better, as the cheese will become firmer. When the cheese has drip-dried, place on a plate and cover with another weighted plate. drain excess water that forms for the next 1/2 hour. finally, open the cheesecloth bundle and turn your paneer out onto a cutting board. Slice the cheese into bite-sized chunks.