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

When you make homemade cheese, a fresh, unaged dairy product made by curdling milk with acid or rennet. Also known as paneer, it's the cornerstone of countless Indian dishes—from butter paneer to paneer tikka—and it’s easier to make than you think. You don’t need fancy equipment or long aging times. Just milk, an acid like lemon juice or vinegar, and a little patience.

Most Indian households make paneer, a firm, non-melting cheese made by curdling hot milk with acid at least once a month. It’s the go-to protein for vegetarians, holds its shape in curries, and soaks up spices beautifully. The key is knowing which acid works best—lemon juice gives a bright tang, vinegar is neutral, and citric acid delivers the cleanest texture. And yes, you can calculate exactly how much paneer you’ll get from a gallon of milk. On average, 1 gallon yields about 200–250 grams of paneer, depending on milk fat content and how long you drain it.

Homemade cheese isn’t just about paneer. It’s connected to how you use milk in Indian cooking—whether it’s turning milk into kheer, a creamy rice pudding made by slow-simmering milk with sugar and cardamom, or using curdled milk to make yogurt for raita. The same milk that becomes paneer can also become the base for desserts like barfi or gulab jamun. That’s why so many recipes here focus on milk’s transformation: from liquid to solid, from plain to flavorful.

You’ll find posts here that answer the real questions: What’s the best acid for paneer? Why does your cheese turn out crumbly? How much milk do you really need? And why does store-bought paneer taste different? These aren’t just recipes—they’re fixes for common mistakes, backed by what works in real kitchens. Whether you’re new to making cheese or just tired of buying it, the posts below give you the exact steps, numbers, and tricks that actually matter.