Paneer
Paneer (sometimes spelled Panir or Paner), is the Persian word for "cheese". It is known in North India and Pakistan by the same name; however, in Bengal it is known by the name "Chhena" and in and south India, by the name "Channa".
Paneer is an unaged cheese that is similar to pressed ricotta cheese, except that the curd is drier and has no salt added. It is most common in Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisine. It is one of the primary protein sources among Buddhists (typically those of South Asian origin) who adhere to vegetarian but not to vegan diets.
Preparation
Paneer is easily made at home and should be consumed fresh. It stales with keeping and becomes brittle and useless with refrigeration.
Ingredients
- 1 litre full-fat milk
- ½ teaspoon citric acid or lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
Procedure
Dissolve the citric acid in water. Bring milk to a boil, stirring continuously. Add the acid solution gradually, while stirring. When the white curds separate from the yellowish whey, switch off the heat. Cover for 3-4 minutes. Drain into a muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Tie up the cloth and hold it under running water. Press out excess water.
From this point, the preparation of Paneer diverges based on proposed use. In Mughlai cuisine, the paneer-cloth is put under a heavy weight, such as a stone slab, for 2-3 hours, and is then cut into cubes for use in curries. Bengali cuisine demands Paneer-dough, and the paneer is now beaten by hand into a dough-like consistency.
Mughlai Cuisine
Paneer is, traditionally, the only type of cheese known in South Asia. The ruling aristocracy in Pakistan, northern India and Bangladesh for much of the second millenium AD was of Turkic (Central Asian) and Persian origin, and it was they who introduced Paneer to South Asia. Given this background, it is not surprising that in large parts of north India, Paneer is an aspirational food, and defines sumptuousness in vegetarian feasts.
Unlike most other cheeses, paneer does not melt at normal cooking temperatures, and is used in many Mughlai curry dishes. It is very popular when wrapped in dough and deep-fried. Recipes for some of the other popular vegetarian Mughlai dishes are linked below:
Bengali Cuisine
Mughlai cuisine uses Paneer in spicy curry dishes, its usage in Bengali cuisine is restricted to sweetmeats, for which this region is justly renowned. Most Bengali sweets feature Paneer beaten by hand into dough-like consistency and than used in crafting the sweetmeat. Note that in this case, the Paneer is drained but not pressed.
The Roshogulla or "Rasgulla" is the classical sweetmeat made by this method. It features plain paneer beaten by hand into the right consistency, then shaped into balls which are dunked into sugar syrup.