Paneer – vegetarian cheese

Paneer / panir / penir / chhena (India), peynir (Turkey), curd cheese, India style cheese, fresh Indian cottage cheese, Indian cheese, vegetarian cheese.

What is it?
A super young, fresh cheese from Indian and related cuisines. Paneer is not made like “normal” cheese from milk with animal rennet but produced from milk with lemon juice or vinegar. Therefore, this cheese is vegetarian and very easy to prepared yourself at home.
You can bake paneer like halloumi without melting.
It has very little flavor and can be used as an alternative to tofu for tofuhaters.

How to use?
Paneer is usually cut into dice. You can eat it raw or co-heat it in a curry. You can also bake it or grill it or even better: briefly marinate in oil with spices and then bake or grill.
Frying in a batter of chickpea flour is also delicious. Homemade paneer can be stored in the refrigerator for at most three days. Paneer from the store is often longer shelf life and you can also freeze.
Paneer can be used as desserts, snacks, side dishes and substitute as a meat for main courses.