Fresh paneer Indian cheese

Anyone know of a source for buying fresh paneer (Indian cheese)? I love to make it myself but it's so completely time-consuming and messy that I usually avoid it. I've tried to cheat using various farmer and greek cheeses, but that never ends well.

BTW if anyone wants my recipe it's this:

boil a lot of whole milk. (a gallon, for example)
add juice of lemons. (four, for example)
don't let it boil! simmer at most.
stir occasionally, let separate.
skim out curds, place in cloth in a colander to drain.
let drain, add spices if desired, leave to set with a heavy book over it.
store in salted water.
prepare according to recipe.
enjoy your cheesy meal!

WOW I didn't know you could make it yourself! Well, then again I find it hard to even fry some eggs...

I was going to ask the same thing some time ago because I'm TOTALLY addicted to the Paneer!
Every time I go to my local Indian restaurant I order Shahi Paneer or its derivations, the flavour drives me crazy and I can't always got to restaurants whenever I get the craving (about once a week) as it is quite pricey, so I would love to be able to buy the cheese and just add some Massala, Korma or Pasanda sauce and rice to it.

Paneer is easy but wow what a pain!

I used to be super addicted to Indian take-out, and that's actually why I decided to learn how to cook it myself at home. It is soooooo easy and cheap, that if you have at least a will to learn and a little free time, you can do it. I had very little natural cooking ability, and zero skills, but teaching myself to cook Indian was like my gateway cuisine to becoming someone who can hold her own in the kitchen. Now I gotta say, I'm pretty good!! The pre-made jars of sauce are really not worth it, in my opinion, because the fresh alternative is not that difficult, in most cases.

There are a number of very good beginner cookbooks written in German. I frequently consult my G/U Indien written by Sadhna Dhawan (orange spine) because these recipes are very accessible, clearly written, and basic (except for a few weird dishes). By the time you've gone 25% through the book, you'll have a decent grounding or at least a feel for how it all goes, and should have all the staple spices and flours stocked up. Then it's fun to try different books, and make the same recipes but with different spices and orders of things.

hey hey!!!
this was perhaps best readout for me on Toytown!!
i am an indian and it was really nice to see that you are relishing the indian paneer dish! cool!
well, if anybody in interested, i can arrange for a 'paneer party' at my place, where you all can join in!
what say?

I really love paneer but also never thought of making it. Its so easy to get in the UK but I was hoping to find it in Berlin too. Might just have to try that recipe out. Fribble I'd totally agree on those jars not being worth it - mind you I usually leave the curry cooking to my partner, he is really good at it!

I'm too lazy to search myself, but BadDoggie has covered this topic before somewhere.

I thought so, too, but didn't have time to check. The conf call is finally over.


woof.

Don't you tempt us!
Seriously I crave Paneer, again being used to living in London you are never short of Indian restaurants, shops, products availability, but Berlin is a different story, I know it must be very easy to cook but I really hate spending more than 10 min. in the kitchen, the worst is the washing up!
So if I can't buy something ready made and half decent that I can toss together in a pan for 5 min. and serve, then I guess I will have to keep going to restaurants, there's a place near my flat that has delicious Paneer dishes at around 12 euros so I try to get a take away from there like once a week.

@Jatindutt: It could be a really nice idea to have an 'Indian Party' with Indian dance beats (stuff like 'Mundian To Bach Ke') and delicious Paneer dishes, ummmm

I'm up for a paneer party. Sounds wicked! :)

I see only one small problem. It seems that nobody knows (yet) where to buy it. :(

Jatindutt...please?

cmon dear friends!
i will prepare it myself!
back home in india, i used to do it well!
so, when should we organize for the 'party'??

Diane, even if zou have trouble making spaghetti, it|s next to impossible to fuck up paneer. Milk on stove. Take it off before it boils. Add a few teaspoons of lemon juice (NOT 4 lemons' worth) and stir. Wait 10 minutes. Pour through cheesecloth, tie up cheesecloth, stick under some weight (cans/bottles/pot of water). Done. I'm pretty sure my ex could do it and she actually burnt a pot of water once.

woof.

Yep that's me!

The way you explain it does sound simple, I definitely will give it a go as it is something I really love to eat!

Now @ Jatindutt:

If you really mean the thing with the Indian party, why don't you start a brand new thread in the Berlin meet ups section, otherwise any people interested in this won't get to find out about it as they might not read the Paneer thread, or PM the people that showed an interest individually.
It is up to you to tell us whereabouts you live, how many people you can invite (make sure I'm first on the list! ) when it would be better for you to do it, etc.

True, that could be too much.

I haven't made it in a while, but I had to figure out proportions on my own, and experimented with weird raw, goat, etc milks and things, and I distinctly remember a few times being shocked at how much lemon juice I needed to get everything to separate the first few times I did it. But I also used a hell of a lot of milk, in a giant stock pot. Maybe the pot was too deep, and the temp was inconsistent for the amount of milk I was using.

cool! so whoever is interested to join in, may write to me at my email..
jatindutt@gmail.com

and i think starting a new thread is definitely a good idea, but that would disappoint many, as i am unable to take in more than 10 people i guess!! (sincere apologies!!)
so, just mail me up, i will sort it out! and then, we can talk for a common day ,which fits in best for everybody!
as for my contact details, i am living in BUCH in MDC campus! a bit far though, but no so hard!

Well the reply to the query is a little late, but I only just joined (though long-time lurker).

You can get fresh paneer at TS Food Traders.
It's near Turmstrasse U-Bahn on the U9, at the corner of Turmstrasse and Stromstrasse, but rather well-hidden as it is in the back courtyard (i.e. Hinterhof) behind the second-hand clothing place and electronic shops on the corner.

The paneer only comes in pretty big packets, but you can cut it alll up, fry all the slices, then freeze the excess, which makes putting something like palak paneer a breeze later on if you're in a hurry.

They have other Indian products too, and fresh fruit and vegetables usually come on Mondays.

A couple of tips though when buying here:
- ALWAYS check the use-by date on all packaged goods. They seem to have had a bit of a sort-through lately, but in the past I've seen stuff as much as two years past the date.
- if you want something but don't see it on the shelves, ask. Sometimes it's out back with the wholesale stuff. I think this is perhaps a deliberate policy. For example none of the Pathak pickle will be on the shelves, but there will be heaps of the Royal brand which they promote (or is their own brand?) If they have it they'll fetch it when you ask.

As far as paneer substitutes go, halloumi works fairly well as a substitute and fries up nicely. Saltier, though, so check the salt in your dish before adding extra.
Availablle at all the bigger Turkish groceries.

hi, my name is caralla...i´m new here and was very happy to find this topic...

anway...as i was thinking about the exactely the same so i was searching for it in the internet...and found the greatest ever side about every indian dish...

there is a woman who prepares the dishes at youtube and you can watch her how she makes it...

anyway she shows how to make proper kulfi, burfi, naans...actually everything which is so hard to find here in the berlin stores...and its actually all so easy to make ... just put "manjulas kitchen"...into the search box at youtube and you will be happy!!! i really hated to look at so many recipes...as i never know which one is the most original one or the best one...but she is soooooooooo good in explaining...

According to "Hungry in Berlin", the Asialaden at the corner of Kopenhagnerstr. and Schonhauser Allee sells paneer
http://www.hungryinberlin.com/2008/04/14/easy-cheese/