h
IngredientsPairingsCookbook
← Ingredients
🧀

Dairy · fresh cheese

Paneer

Also: chhena · Indian cottage cheese

CategoryDairy
SeasonAny
Fridge4–5 days
Protein/100g~18 g
🥛→🧀
Make paneer at home
1 litre milk + 2 tbsp lemon = 200 g paneer in 30 min.
→

Quick take

Good for

  • ✓ High-protein vegetarian meals
  • ✓ Grilling, tikka, curries
  • ✓ Absorbs marinades cleanly
  • ✓ Home-made > store

Watch out

  • ✗ Squeaky if boiled > 3 min
  • ✗ Not vegan
  • ✗ Higher saturated fat than tofu
  • ✗ Store-bought is often rubbery

Goes well with

Greens

🥬 spinach 🌿 methi 🥗 mustard greens

Aromatics & spice

🫚 ginger 🧄 garlic 🌰 cumin 🍂 garam masala

Finishers

🌿 kasuri methi 🍋 lemon 🧈 butter

If you're out

🌱1:1

Firm tofu

Press well. Vegan-friendly straight swap.

🧀grilled

Halloumi

Saltier, similar squeak. Rinse first.

🥣crumble

Ricotta

Only in bhurji-style. Won't hold cubes.

Keep it fresh

🛒

Buy

Firm, off-white, no yellowing. Avoid "malai".

❄

Fridge

Submerge in water. Change daily. 4–5 days.

🧊

Freezer

Cube, tray-freeze, bag. 2 mo. Curries only.

Used in

🥬

Palak paneer

Cubed, folded into spinach gravy.

easy →