Article: Use a medium sized saucepan, stirring occasionally and making sure there is no burning or scalding on the bottom. Make sure you do not use UHT pasteurized milk. This milk won't curdle, meaning it cannot be used to make paneer. For a slightly healthier but less rich paneer, you can use 2% milk. Do not use 1% or skim, however, as they both struggle to curdle correctly. You do not want the milk to boil. If you have a thermometer, you want it around 190-200F The acid in the lemon will actually break down the milk and cause it to curdle, which allows it to form solids. You can also use 1/4 cup of white vinegar, in place of lemon, though it will have a slightly different taste. This will let the acid do its work, and by the end of the 10 minutes the milk should look watery and yellow. If it doesn't, add another tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and wait an extra 2-3 minutes. If it still doesn't curdle, you're likely using UHT pasteurized milk. Once the majority of water has drained out the bottom of the colander or strainer, wrap the cheesecloth around the curds and press down to squeeze out any extra water. A gently, slow, but firm squeeze should get out any last bits of whey. For added flavor, salt the paneer after you're done with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pull the cheese cloth out of the strainer and use it to mold the paneer inside it into a block. It should only take some gentle pressing and shaping to get a rough cube. A couple of large books, a mixing bowl filled with water, or a cast-iron pan should be heavy enough to press the cheese out. This will remove any last liquid and form the dense, delicious cheese cubes that will make your Palak Paneer really stand out on the table. Once it is done pressing, cut and serve. You can keep paneer in the refrigerator for up to four days after making it.
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Bring half a gallon of whole milk to a simmer over medium heat. When the milk is foamy and steamy, add 1/4 of lemon juice and remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and let the mixture sit, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place the curdles in, squeezing the excess liquid out. Gather the paneer curds in the cheese cloth and press into a rough square on a cutting board. Place a flat plate on your paneer cube and weight it down, pressing it for 20-60 minutes.