Garlic Basil Paneer

So I decided to allow my inner hippie to escape for the next few weeks. I found this recipe on instrucables for homemade paneer (an indian ricotta esque cheese) and I thought it would be fun to make and good to eat. But after tasting it plain it was much too bland so I kicked it up with a simple mix of herbs just like the mix used to crust expensive goat cheese.
---How To Make It Yourself---
tools

• large non-reactive pot (non-stick with no scratches/glass/enamel/or stainless steel)
• piece of cheese cloth or square of thin cotton (like from a used shirt)
• colander
  
• clips
• wax paper
  

ingredients

• 1 gallon whole milk
• 8 Tbsp. lemon juice (from the bottle is fine)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried basil
• 1 clove finely minced garlic
  

instructions

• lay cloth inside colander and clip it onto the rim to keep the cloth in place
  
• bring milk to a rolling boil on medium high heat
• stir to avoid foaming or scalding
• turn down heat to simmer
• add lemon juice and stir constantly for 1 minute -- if the milk does not seperate into curds adn whey add more lemon
  
• remove from heat and stir for 1 more minute
• pour into cloth and drain out the whey
• rinse curds with cold water until run off is clear
• take corners of cloth, twist, and form curds into a tight ball
• hang the ball from your sink faucet
• leave ball to drip drain about 1-2 hours
• flatten ball while it is still wrapped in cloth and place heavy weight on top to compress the curds -- leave for another hour
• remove cloth and sprinkle with salt, basil, and garlic
• place on a plate, cover with sheet of wax paper, refrigerated, and place a new weight (I used milk jug) -- leave for at least 2 more hours before you enjoy

hint: the longer you compress the paneer the denser it will become, making it easier to cut and add to dishes without crumbling.