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Paneer cheese is a type of cheese native to India. Since not everyone in this densely populated state had the opportunity to purchase meat, and among the inhabitants there is a large percentage of vegetarians for religious beliefs, homemade cheese became a suitable substitute for meat products for them. It is nutritious, has many useful properties, thanks to which it has gained popularity around the world. Why is paneer so highly valued and consumed by gourmets around the world?
Cooking Panir
Wherever milk is available, there are a large number of homemade cheese recipes. Indian paneer takes a special place among them because of the simplicity of the ingredients used and the process of preparation itself. Milk and a curd component (lemon juice, kefir, yogurt) are the products from which cheese is made. If desired, various herbs or spices are added to achieve a more unique taste. Milk is used homemade or store pasteurized, with a high percentage of fat content. It is boiled, after which the resulting curd mass is separated from the whey, excess moisture is removed from it and placed under a press. The resulting product has a sweetish-sour curd taste, it is dense in consistency, does not lose its shape and does not melt during heat treatment.
Use of the product in cooking
As an independent dish, cheese is served in the form of appetizers or desserts, as well as along with salty or sweet sauces. Cheese is fried in deep fat or batter, add to it vegetables or fruits. In addition, paneer can be cooked and baked. The product is an ingredient in salads, soups, side dishes, and it goes well with berries, fruits, seafood, greens, meat, fish.
Taste Cheese
During the cooking process, various components are added to the paneer, for example, cumin, turmeric, coriander, basil, ground nuts, and all this gives an unusual palette of flavors and a variety of product types. The use of kefir or lemon juice (citric acid) in the manufacture will give the cheese a sour taste, and yogurt – more creamy and sweetish.
Product benefits and disadvantages
Cheese contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids useful for the body. B vitamins have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and are beneficial for muscle tissue. Phosphorus and calcium are a storehouse of beauty for hair, teeth and nails, and potassium is necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. Paneer cheese helps normalize blood pressure, remove toxins from the body.
As with everything, there are pitfalls in the use of dairy products. People who suffer from lactose intolerance should avoid cheese. In addition, this product cannot be called a dietary product – it is high-calorie and contains a significant amount of fat, so its consumption should be limited if there is a problem of excess weight. As for milk and dairy products in general, it is known that milk can contain antibiotics, hormones and some other synthetic substances that harm the human body. Therefore, it is better to consume paneer cheese in minimal quantities, for example, one or two slices per day.
Popular recipes from paneer
Despite some exoticism of Indian cuisine, recipes using paneer are interesting and attract even gourmands far from it. Among them:
- curry paneer;
- shahi paneer (cheese along with vegetables and cream sauce served with a side dish);
- vegetable salads with paneer;
- subji;
- fried paneer.
Cooking the latter is very simple: for this you need cheese, a mixture of spices and vegetables (fruits) to taste. The cheese is cut into thick bars or plates, rolled in spices, for example, in a mixture of garam masala, curry and zira. A thick-walled frying pan is heated along with vegetable oil. Cheese is laid out in it and fried on both sides until a crisp appears. You can continue to use it with vegetables, fruits or jams – a matter of taste.
Features of storage
Paneer is a perishable product and can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and if put in salt water – a week. Sliced and frozen, paneer will keep for up to two weeks.
Paneer is a nutritious, delicious and easy-to-make variety of homemade cheese. You can buy it at a specialty store or cook it yourself to evaluate the taste characteristics and benefits.