Paneer (homemade Indian cheese)

"More cheese please!"  Cheese makes everything tastier, and this homemade Indian cheese is easy to make and simple to add to curries or salads.  You can even add it to dishes as is, or batter and fry it.  I made a big batch, used half for palak paneer and froze the other half for a rainy day.

Paneer:
makes about 1 cup

half gallon whole milk
1/4 cup lemon juice

In a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, bring milk to a boil stirring often to prevent sticking.  When milk is at a full boil, slowly add lemon juice while stirring.  Milk will curdle.  Cook for another minute or two. 

Line a colander with cheese cloth.  Pour in milk mixture and then gently rinse milk curds with water to remove the lemon juice flavor.  Gather cheese cloth edges and press out remaining water.  Place gathered cheesecloth on a cutting board, top with a baking sheet and weigh down with either a filled teakettle or a heavy pot for one hour.  Remove cheese from cheesecloth and cut into cubes, crumble, or wrap in plastic wrap.