In a large heavy saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat. Bring the milk to JUST under a boil. The milk will produce a steamy, foamy layer on top and will smell rich and fragrant. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom to make sure it doesn't burn.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. The mixture will likely curdle immediately into solid white curds and yellow liquid whey, but if it doesn't, that's OK. See Note for next steps if your milk does not curdle immediately.

Line a medium colander with cheesecloth and set over a large bowl. Scoop the white solid curds into the colander and let the liquid whey drain into the bowl beneath. Discard the yellow whey or save for other uses, like lactofermentation.

Sprinkle the curds with 1 teaspoon salt. Toss the curds with your hands to incorporate the salt.

Squeeze the curds in the cheesecloth to remove as much excess whey as possible. Still in the cheesecloth, flatten the curds into a disc and arrange the edges of the cheesecloth over the top as smooth as possible. Place a dinner plate on top and weight with 1-2 cans or other heavy item.

Place in the refrigerator and let press for at least 20 minutes, preferably 90 minutes - 2 hours. The longer the press, the firmer the cheese, without losing any richness. After pressing, unwrap the paneer, cut into cubes, and use in a recipe or keep chilled in an airtight container up to 3-4 days.