Cooking Cheese: How to Make Paneer and Other Indian Dairy Delights

When you think of cooking cheese, the process of curdling milk to create fresh, firm cheese like paneer. Also known as homemade paneer, it's a staple in Indian homes, used in everything from spicy curries to sweet desserts. Unlike aged Western cheeses, Indian cooking cheese is made fresh daily—no aging, no rind, just pure milk transformed by acid and heat. It’s simple, fast, and needs no special tools. All you need is milk, an acid like lemon juice or vinegar, and a bit of patience.

What makes paneer, a soft, non-melting cheese central to Indian cuisine so special is how it holds its shape when fried or grilled. That’s why it’s perfect for paneer tikka, palak paneer, or even dessert dishes like rasgulla. The key? The right milk-to-acid ratio. Whole milk gives you the richest yield—about 200 grams of paneer from one liter. Skim milk? You’ll get less, and it’ll be crumbly. And while some try yogurt or citric acid, lemon juice is the most common for a clean, mild taste without bitterness.

It’s not just about the acid—it’s about the heat. Milk must be brought to a full boil before adding the acid. Add it slowly, stir gently, and let it sit. The curds will separate from the whey like magic. Then, drain it in a cloth, tie it up, and press it lightly under a heavy weight for 30 minutes. That’s it. No rennet, no cultures, no fancy equipment. This is milk to paneer conversion, the basic alchemy of Indian dairy cooking—something every kitchen should master.

And while paneer is the star, cooking cheese in India isn’t limited to it. Think of chhena—the softer cousin used in sweets like rasgulla and chum chum. Or the stretched cheeses like mozzarella-style paneer in some North Indian households. Even the whey left behind gets reused—in roti dough, in soups, even in fermenting idli batter. Nothing goes to waste.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t just recipes. It’s the real talk: which acid gives you the firmest paneer, why your cheese turns out rubbery, how much milk you actually need for a family meal, and why some people swear by vinegar over lemon. You’ll learn how to fix failed batches, how to store paneer so it stays soft for days, and why chilling it before cutting makes all the difference. Whether you’re new to Indian cooking or just tired of dry paneer, this collection gives you the practical, no-fluff answers you need.