How to make fresh Paneer at home?

Ingredients

• 1 gallon of whole, organic milk

• Freshly squeezed lemon juice - 3 lemons

• Piece of cheesecloth

• Fine mesh strainer

Directions

1. In a large stockpot, bring the milk to a boil.

2. Once the milk boils, add fresh lemon juice and stir until the milk solids separate and a dull greenish colored whey forms.

3. When the curd separates from whey, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and make sure all the water is properly strained.

4. Stop at step 3, if you need the paneer for paneer bhurji (crumbled paneer recipe). Proceed to step 5 if you need Paneer cubes.

5. Wrap the paneer in cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess water. Make sure to squeeze all the water from paneer or else the cubes will not form properly.

6. Arrange the paneer in cheesecloth in a brick and lay a heavy cast-iron skillet or any other heavyweight on the paneer. You can use a tofu press if you have one at home.

7. Leave the paneer under the press for a couple of hours, until all of the excess water has drained out.

8. Dice paneer in cubes and add it to your favorite gravy.