Homemade Chhana for Bengali Sweets
Soft, and fresh homemade chhana or ricotta cheese is the base of the all authentic and traditional Bengali sweets. This Paneer / Chhana is suitable for other recipes calling for ricotta cheese as well.
Servings 2 cups
Ingredients
- 4 liters Milk
- 4 tsp Lemon Juice 1 cup of Fermented whey water (quantity of Lemon Juice will also vary
- Water as required
Instructions
- Have the lemon juice ready at hand
- If using fermented Whey water, measure it and have it ready.
- Have a bowl lined with a muslin cloth and keep it ready.
- In a thick bottom pan, boil the milk till it boils over, simmer for 5 mins.
- Remove it from flame, add the lemon juice slowly and gently stir for the cheese to separate.
- When you see greenish water, pour the cloth to gather the cheese.
- Pour water over the cheese couple of times to remove traces of lemon or the souring agent used.
- Gather the edges of the cloth to tie the cloth and let it drain completely.
- Ensure that the chhana is not completely dry.
- Save some of the whey water to use later if required or you can ferment for next batch.
Notes
The cheese you get can be stored in fridge for further use or can be used right away. If you want to use this for savory dishes, you can press it down to form cubes.
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