Panir Cheese (or Paneer)
For those of us who no longer eat tofu and for those of us who love Indian cuisine, panir is a staple in the kitchen. It is the simplest of all cheeses to make and can be used in myriad ways. It doesn’t melt but stays firm like tofu when cooked. It is definitely an important food if you are vegetarian. As you become familiar with making and eating panir, you will become alert to the small differences that can take a dish from good to spectacular. How much fat is in your milk and which acid agent you use, for instance, both affect the flavor and texture of the resulting panir. With a little easy experimentation, you will discover what you like best and devise a routine for making it regularly. I make it weekly as it is great to have in the frig ready to go for both planned and last minute meals. Panir has a light, creamy sort of taste on its own. It easily absorbs the flavors of the herbs and spices with which it is cooked so it has a wide range of uses.
Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
* 8 Tbl. of lemon juice OR
* 2 tsp. of citric acid dissolved in about 1 cup of hot water OR
* 1 quart of buttermilk plus a touch of citric acid OR
* ½ gallon of whey from previous
cheese making plus a touch of citric acid
Procedure
- Pour 1 gallon of whole milk in a tall, heavy bottomed pot. Milk rises up very high once it boils and scorches very easily so the tall, heavy bottomed pot is critical to your success! Set it on high heat, stirring constantly, until the milk comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to low or if you have an electric cook top, turn the heat off. Before the foam can subside, slowly pour the acid you are using around the inside perimeter of the pot. Very gently move your spoon through the milk in one direction only. After a 10 seconds or so, watch to see if the curds have separated from the whey. If not, add a touch more citric acid. (You will definitely need to add the citric acid if you are using the buttermilk or whey as the curdling agent.) If the curds have not separated out by 1 minute, put the pan back on the heat. If they still do not separate, add a bit more citric acid. The whey should be clear, not milky.
- As soon as the curds have separated, put the lid on the pot and set it aside for 10 minutes. If you want your panir to be soft, add 1 or 2 cups of hot water before putting on the lid.
- Meanwhile, get out a colander, another big pot the colander can rest on and either a large piece of butter muslin or 3 layers of grocery store type cheesecloth. Put the colander in the pot and lay the center of the cloth over the center of the colander so that the sides of the cloth will drape over the edges.
- Once the 10 minutes are up or the curds have settled below the surface of the whey, ladle them into the cloth lined colander. When you have ladled most of the curds out, pick up the pot and pour the rest through. All the curds will be caught by the butter muslin and the whey will drip through to the large pot below. Be careful and gentle with this step as the whey is very hot and the curds very delicate.
- Take up the corners and all the edges of the butter muslin and lift the entire batch of curd out of the colander. Twist the cloth around one or two turns and then run the cheese briefly under lukewarm water to wash off any remaining curdling agent so that the cheese will not be sour. Gingerly (it is still hot mind you) twist the cloth a few more times and work out any excess whey.
- The final step allows the rest of the whey to drain out of the cheese. You can either just let the panir hang or press it out under pressure. This is how I let it hang: I use a short bungee cord about 8 or 10 inches long. One hook goes onto a cupboard handle or hook while the cord near the other hook is wrapped a couple of times around the cloth just above the cheese and then hooked onto itself. This method of draining takes 3 or more hours depending upon the amount of cheese you have made. Put a small bowl underneath to catch the dripping whey. Otherwise arrange the cloth covered mass of cheese back into your colander, put all of that on a plate or low dish to catch the whey and then put a pot filled with water or a cloth covered brick or whatever you have that is around 5 pounds on top of the cloth covered cheese. Let this sit for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Your panir is now ready to use. You can either cook with it right away or store it in the refrigerator for a week or so. It stores well in zip-lock bags or plastic containers. I wrap mine in plastic wrap first if I am using a plastic container just to make sure it is air tight.
Choosing a Curdling Agent
Lemon juice: It is very common and healthy to use lemon juice. I don’t often use it as I would prefer to use fresh lemon juice which would be expensive to use all of the time in such quantity and requires the extra step of juicing the lemons.
Citric acid: You can buy citric acid at health food stores, Indian markets or stores that sell supplies for making soap or beer. Citric acid forms a very firm curd.
Buttermilk: Using buttermilk makes a wonderful creamy, smooth curd with fewer tendencies to crumble. You can either buy buttermilk or make it. You will just need a touch of citric acid usually to make the curds separate completely from the whey.
Whey: Using just whey makes a softer cheese. Panir is the basis for many milk sweets in India and many cheese makers there use whey as the curdling agent for their panir.
The Least Expensive Way: The least expensive way is the way that requires you to buy the fewest extra ingredients. I know make my panir with a ½ gallon of whey plus just a touch of citric acid, as needed. I save the ½ gallon of whey in the refrigerator from each batch of panir to be used for the next batch.
Variations and Uses
Popcorn Panir: Cut panir into ½ cubes. Heat up a frying pan on medium high heat and add oil. I like ghee the best for this. When the oil is hot, add the cubed panir. If you are making a lot, you will have to fry the cubes in batches. Sprinkle on and distribute turmeric for color and then salt and lemon pepper for flavor. Fry until slightly crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plates. Serve as a flavorful snack or as an added course for a meal. This also stores well in the refrigerator and can be used for a snack in a lunch box or while traveling.
Ideas of Dishes to Which You Can Add Panir: stir fry; spaghetti sauce; chili; substantial home fries with onions, garlic, veggies, and herbs; white sauce served over toast or grain; pasta dishes with lots of flavorful veggies and fruits; in breakfast burritos instead of eggs; pre-flavored through cooking or marinating and thrown into salad; more Indian dishes than I could possibly mention here (try Lord Krishna’s Cuisine by Yamuna Devi for the best recipe ideas and instructions); anywhere that you would use meat or tofu
With Garlic: One person I know adds 2 tsp of chopped garlic into the milk before starting. She proceeds with the recipe. When the cheese is done, she cuts it into cubes and sprinkles it with seasoning salt. Apparently her children eat this faster than she can make it.
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