Lemon Cheese (Panir or Queso Blanco)

Lemon Cheese or Panir (Paneer)

Panir (or paneer) is a fresh, non-aged, non-melting soft cheese popular in South Asian and Iranian cuisines, made by curdling milk with acid (lemon juice/vinegar). This is a soft cheese that you can do at home with what you can find in your kitchen. When made with vinegar, it is also known as Queso Blanco.

I started off making soft cheeses with my children when they were very young, and we always made it with lemon juice. I love to add herbs and eat it as a dip with crackers or use it as a spread on sandwiches. There are also plenty of recipes that call for soft cheeses.

Ingredients

  • 2 litres of milk
  • 1/3 cup of lemon juice (1/4 cup of vinegar)

Directions

  1. In a large pot, heat the milk to 80° C (175° F). Add about 2/3 of your lemon juice and stir well.

     

    Cheese Making

     

  2. Cover and let the milk set for 15 minutes. What you are looking for is a clear separation of the curds and whey. If the whey, the liquid, is still milky, then add more of the lemon juice till it sets
  3. Pour the curds into a colander lined with cheesecloth.

     

    Pouring Curds

     

  4. Tie the corners of the cloth together and hang the bag to drain for 1 to 2 hours, or until the curds have stopped draining. Remove the cheese from the bag and add salt and herbs to taste.

     

    Cheese Bag

I have also used powdered milk, and it works just fine; however, the yield is less. From 2 litres of milk reconstituted from powdered milk, I get just under 200 grams of cheese. From 2 litres of regular whole milk, I get about 450 grams of cheese. This cheese will store in a covered container in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks. I have, however, never tested this time, as the cheese has always been eaten in my house before the first week was up.

Recipe © 2004 Valerie Pearson

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