While exploring India’s culture, it’s a given that you will learn about the cuisine. The smells and taste of Indian spices are enchanting as are the varied number of dishes that are available. While in India, our team traveled to many different areas. Paneer was offered in almost all of the regions and enjoyed in various dishes. Paneer is a cheese similar to cottage cheese or farmer’s cheese. It takes on multiple forms – in Eastern India it is cubed and in Northern India you’ll find it’s been kneaded and beaten like fresh mozzarella, the results a bit crumblier. It’s easy to see why it is a staple to many of meals in India!
It’s texture is reminiscent of tofu and pairs very well with many varieties of dishes. It is not aged like most cheeses and fun fact: it cannot be melted. It is easy to flavor, acts as a protein and provides richness to many dishes. Another interesting fact is that making paneer does not involve rennet as a coagulation agent, like so many cheeses do. It can be eaten as a sweet, in salads, in curries and as a main dish. It is also a great vegetarian substitute for meat on kebabs and tikkas. The downside? It can seem a bit daunting to make. Kulsum Kunwa of JourneyKitchen.com helps make the process a little easier with her thorough depiction of How To Make Paneer. Kunwa is the photographer and writer behind the beautiful site JourneyKitchen.com, a blog that’s quickly become one of our new favorites. Her “delectable marriage of modern and traditional Indian cuisine” makes her site a go-to for any Indian recipe you may be searching for. Hear how she settled on this paneer tutorial and follow the recipe — we promise it’s well worth the time it takes to make!
