Full-fat milk is specified for dependable curds; ultra-high-temperature milk is less reliable for this batch. Add the lemon after taking the pot off the heat, then stir only enough for the curds to separate. The gentler handling helps the pressed paneer stay tender rather than turn rubbery in the skillet.
Sides & SnacksHomemade Paneer with Whey Whole-Wheat Rotis
Fresh paneer is mild, springy, and made with just milk and lemon juice. The whey does not go down the sink: part of it replaces the liquid in cumin-spiked whole-wheat rotis, giving the dough a gentle tang.
Ingredients
For the paneer
For the whey rotis
Preparation Steps
Heat the milk
Pour the whole milk into a wide, heavy pot and heat over medium heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. Heat until it is steaming and just begins to simmer, with small bubbles gathering around the edge; do not let it boil over.
Separate the curds
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice gently until soft white curds separate from pale yellow-green whey, then leave the pot undisturbed for 5 minutes.
Drain and press the paneer
Line a colander with clean muslin or a thin cotton cloth and place it over a large bowl. Pour in the curds and whey, reserving the whey. Gather the cloth around the curds, set it on a plate, and weigh it down with another plate for 30-60 minutes depending on how firm you want it to be.
Mix the roti dough
While the paneer presses, combine the whole-wheat flour, cumin seed, and salt in a bowl. Gradually add 200 ml of the reserved whey and knead until the dough is smooth, soft, and supple but not sticky; cover and leave it for 20 minutes.
Cook the rotis and sear the paneer
Divide the dough into 8 even pieces and roll each into a thin round. Cook on a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 1 minute per side, until brown blisters appear and the surface is cooked through. Slice the paneer, then sear it in rapeseed oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side, until golden at the edges. Serve with the warm rotis & vegetables, hummus, what u like.....
Recipe insights
Milk and lemon temperature
Keeping the extra whey
The batch produces more whey than the rotis need. Cool the remainder promptly in a covered container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it in portions for another dough. When mixing the rotis, add the whey gradually: the useful cue is a soft dough that rolls thin without clinging to the work surface.
Not always cheaper homemade
I wanted to try making my own paneer. I thought it would be cheaper, but after calculating the costs, I only saved about €1 on my dinner 😅 I’m not sure it was worth an hour of cooking, but I had fun making it!
The big advantage, though, is that my grocery store doesn’t sell organic paneer. Since I used organic milk and lemon, at least I ended up with homemade organic paneer!
Make room for your own recipes
A little planning. More good food.
Create recipes with ingredients from our nutrition catalogue and see their nutrition and Feast EAT-Lancet alignment score. Keep your favourites, save your nutrition profile, plan meals by hand and take your shopping list with you.
Free accounts can create up to 10 recipes; a higher limit is coming with a paid plan.
Automatic meal generation and household planning are in beta, with limited access.
Comments
Be the first to comment 👇