#13 Making cheese

I was really in the mood for saag paneer, however, I found out that I couldn't buy paneer (an Indian cheese) at the local grocery store or even at Whole Foods - and it might cost ~$12 if I did find it.  I decided to go ahead and make it myself.

I looked at several recipes online and decided on this one.   

1/2 gallon whole milk
2 TBSP lemon juice
 1. In a heavy saucepan, bring milk to a boil. (When it has reached full boil, it will look very foamy and quickly - QUICKLY, I say - rise in the pot. To avoid the ensuing mess, remove it from the heat right away.) Add lemon juice and stir until small curds separate from the whey, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Let sit 10 minutes so curds can develop, then drain into a collander lined with 2 layers of cheesecloth. When cool enough to handle, tie up opposite ends of the cheese cloth and squeeze out remaining liquid.
3. Place paneer, still in cheese cloth, on a plate. Flatten to 1/2" thick and top with another plate. Rest something heavy on top (such as several cans or the Joy of Cooking) and let sit 20 minutes.
4. Pour off any liquid that remains and cut into cubes or refridgerate overnight.

It was pretty good and easy!