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Paneer

Paneer is a common Indian cheese that is un-aged, non-melting and set in acid. Compared to other types of cheeses, Paneer is not matured and tastes rather bland. Paneer came to be when early Indians experimented with the large quantity of milk that their cows regularly produce. They were able to turn this milk into a creamy substance and then turn the creamy substance into a hard and firm form. Then they blended curry in the milk and liked the taste of the combination and that’s how Paneer came to be.

Two kinds of paneer are commonly found in Bangladesh and India. The first is the hard paneer caller “ponir” which is a salty, semi-hard cheese that has a sharp flavor and high salt content. The second kind of paneer is the soft paneer called “channa” which is milder than the “ponir” and is usually partnered with bread or biscuits during tea time.

Panner is a high protein food and is believed to be very nutritious. In fact, it is often substituted for meat in many vegetarian versions of Indian cuisine. It contains moderate amounts of cholesterol and high fat content but is said to be suitable for consumption of all age groups. However, people with hypertension and diabetes are advised not to eat too much of the cheese.

How do you prepare paneer? First, you have to add food acid which is usually just vinegar or lemon juice to hot milk and then separate the curds from the whey. Then you have to drain the curds in a cheesecloth and press out excess water. After this, you have to dip the paneer in chilled water for about 2-3 hours. After that, you have several options on how you want to continue the preparation process, as different Indian cuisines follow different steps. For instance, following the Mughlai style of paneer preparation means you have to put the paneer-cloth under a heavy weight object for 2-3 hours; cut it into cubes; and press for twenty minutes more to produce soft, fluffy cheese.

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