HOME MADE CHHANA(PANEER)

Fresh made chhana can be used to make many sweet dishes, especially rasgulla, rasmalai. Many rich curry dishes also demand freshly made chhana. Making chhana at home is easy. This can also be used in dishes which need grated paneer. You can also make a block of paneer with this chhana by placing a heavy weight on the chhana tied in a muslin cloth. And finally you can make fat free chhana freshly at home and enjoy your favorite dishes without any guilt.

INGREDIENTS

Milk                       3 liters
Lemon juice           1/4 cup
                   or
Curd                       1/2 cup
Cold water             as required.

PROCEDURE

A thick bottom pan is required for heating the milk. Don't compromise with a normal pan.
Fill a large vessel with ice cold water and set aside.
Now heat the milk in the pan and let it come to a boil. I used fat free milk. The amount of chhana you get is less but you are free to have any amount of chhana without counting the calories.
Slowly add the lemon juice and stir the milk.
If you are out of lemons in your fridge you can use curd. It really works.
When the milk starts to curdle decrease the flame.
When the whole chhana comes to the top, switch off the flame.
Stain the whole thing in a strainer with a cloth on the top of the strainer.
Now slowly and carefully place the muslin cloth with chhana into the ice cold water. This helps the chhana to remain soft and removes the lemon flavor.
Squeeze out all the water from the chhana and use the fresh chhana in curries or sweets.
Place the chhana with muslin cloth in the strainer with a large weight on the top. After a few hours all the water is removed and you get a block of paneer.