Paneer is a type of cheese widely distributed in South Asia, especially in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is prepared by curdling hot milk with lemon juice, vinegar or any other food acid. The word “paneer” itself is of Persian origin. However, the birthplace of the cheese itself remains in question. Paneer is found in Vedic, Afghan-Iranian and Bengali history. Vedic literature refers to a product that some authors, such as Sanjeev Kapoor, interpret as a form of paneer. However, other authors claim that acidification of milk was taboo in ancient Indo-Aryan culture. There are references to legends about Krishna (raised by dairy farmers), which mention milk, butter, ghee, yogurt, but no information about cheese. Based on the texts of the Charaka Samhita, the earliest mention of an acid-coagulated dairy product in India dates back to 75-300 AD. Sunil Kumar interpreted the described product as modern paneer. According to this interpretation, paneer is native to the northwestern part of South Asia, and cheese was brought to India by Afghan and Iranian travelers. The same opinion is shared by Dr. Ghodekar of the National Dairy Research Institute of India. The options for preparing paneer are very diverse: from deep-fried to stuffed with vegetables. Basic Vegetarian Indian Cuisine with Paneer: 1. (Paneer in Spinach Curry Sauce)
2. (paneer in curry sauce with green peas)
3. (Panir marinated in spices is fried in a tandoor, served in a sauce with bell peppers, onions and tomatoes)
4. (paneer in cream sauce with tomatoes and spices)
5. (deep-fried paneer with various ingredients such as onions, eggplant, spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes) and many many other dishes … Paneer contains a fairly large amount of fat and protein, as well as minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. In addition, paneer contains vitamins A and D.