Palak Paneer & Puri

Making Paneer Tutorial

6 cups of milk

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water

In a heavy bottomed saucepan boil the milk on medium high.

Stir, as it heats to a boil. (about 10 minutes)

Mix the lemon juice with the water

















Slowly pour it into the milk. As you stir it, you will begin to see the milk start to curdle/or separate.
If it doesn't seem to curdle much, you may need a few more tsp. lemon juice.
The cheese curds will rise to the top.
Continue cooking a couple more minutes.








You will need a large bowl, or you can just go directly to the sink.

With a large colander
lined with










a clean flour sack dishtowel, muslin, or cheese cloth






Pour the curds in, to drain the water off.
Let it cool off a bit, so you don't get burned.
Wash under cold running water to remove the lemon taste.
(It will smell and taste pretty lemony at this point)

The little farmgirl LOVED washing the curds. (Yes she washed her hands first!)

Squeeze the paneer into a ball, removing as much water as possible.

Place on a plate and open to inspect:

Try to form a little ball out of it, to check the consistency. It should stick together, but not be too mushy. knead the little ball...(it should be like silly putty) Roll it back into the large clump of cheese.

FlattenInside the towel, on a plate, place a heavy pan on it for an hour or so.
To use in your recipe, cut the cheese (no rude remarks please)
into the size of cubes desired. Refrigerate, or do like we did...we made these a couple of months ago and froze them.
thaw and use when you're ready for them. (If you're like us and it's quite a drive to get to our closest Indian Store, this proves to be pretty handy.) Heat oil in a skillet and brown the paneer lightly, and drain, to use in your veggie dish.

We made ours into Palak Paneer. (There are many recipes for it on-line)

The creamed spinach consistency is not my favorite texture to eat,

but the flavor was great

We also made puri to go with it, like Kanta Patel taught me so many long years ago.

Making Puri Tutorial

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together into a dough. Your particular flour will make a big difference in the flour/water ratio. You may need to add more water, or flour as you go.

You want a firm play-doh consistency.

Oil your palms with 1 tsp or so of oil.

Knead the dough until it is firm, but smooth.

Let it set under a damp paper towel for 10 minutes or more.

You can make your puris whatever size you desire. this will make about 1o-or more.

Don't roll them all out at the same time or they will dry out.

1. roll them into small balls
2. flatten
3. roll out into flat circles

Fry in at LEAST 1 1/2" hot oil.

I use a ladle and press down lightly on the top of the puri, and spoon the hot oil over it.

This is what causes them to puff up. If you just put it in, and let it sit,

it will be more like a frisbee. After it puffs, turn over. Brown just golden.

Remove with a skimmer onto paper towels to drain.

These are my favorite Puri making tools.

The ladle, the skimmer (from a thrift shop---It's great)

The silpat is awesome for rolling them out, and not sticking.

AND THE BEST thing of all ......

My talented Dad, made me a custom chapati/puri rolling pin!

Sooooooo wonderful! I absolutely love it!

It's Rosewood, and He made it absolutely smooth as silk!

Isn't it beautiful?! Puffy golden Puri.

On our thrifted snug coffee table..... it was spotted being placed outside a shop while we were eating lunch inside , a 1/2 block away, at the coast..

I could hardly eat fast enough!

Palak (Spinach) Paneer, Subzi (curried summer squash) from the freezer, rice and puri.

Doesn't look that appetizing, but flavors? Yum.