Fresh paneer (Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe)

Directions

1. 1
   Freshly made paneer is soft yet firm in texture, and it absorbs flavours very well. Make it with lightly pasteurised, but not homogenised milk, to ensure you get firmly set curds. You’ll be left with plenty of whey afterwards, so save this to make bread, to brine large cuts of meat or to soak grains.
2. 2
   Pour the milk and salt into a large saucepan, put on a medium heat and bring up to a simmer, stirring frequently to prevent the milk from catching on the bottom of the pan – it will take about 15 minutes until the top is very frothy and bubbling gently, but the milk is not rising to the top rapidly. Stir in the lemon juice and mix gently, taking care not to break up the curds too much, then take off the heat and leave for two to three minutes, until large curds settle at the surface.Drape a large, clean tea towel over a large sieve set over a large bowl. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the curds into the tea towel, so the whey drips through and collects in the bowl. Set aside to cool for about 40 minutes, then wring the towel tightly so the curd becomes a compact ball inside it. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then put the towel and its curd contents into a bowl and refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight, if time allows. The finished paneer will be less robust than shop-bought, so take extra care when cutting into it.If you’re not planning to use the paneer immediately, take it out of the tea towel and wrap (in reusable kitchen wrap, ideally) to stop it drying out. It will now keep in the fridge for up to five days.