Making Dahi and Paneer

Making dahi (fresh yogurt) and paneer (Indian cottage cheese) has always felt like second nature to me—because it was such an everyday ritual in our home. As soon as the milkman rang the bell, mum would be in motion: boiling the milk, setting aside some to become dahi, curdling some into paneer, saving some for chai, and pouring the rest into glasses for us to drink warm. Nothing was ever wasted.

This is why this blog had to begin here—with milk in its most nourishing, everyday Indian form. From dahi to paneer, to the malai that would slowly collect and later turn into ghee (yes, she still does this every day!), this post dives into how fresh milk becomes a whole world of flavor in an Indian kitchen.