Paneer

Indian fresh cheese

Milk, set firm and unbothered by the fire.

What it is

Paneer is a fresh cheese made by curdling hot milk with an acid — lemon or vinegar — then draining and pressing the curds. It does not melt when cooked, which is its whole trick: it holds its shape in a hot gravy or on a grill, staying firm while it soaks up flavour. Its own taste is mild and milky.

Where it comes from

Paneer is made across the northern subcontinent, a staple of vegetarian cooking there. Its unpressed, softer cousin — chhena — is the foundation of the great Bengali sweets, the same fresh curd put to an entirely different purpose.

What it's called

Paneer · fresh acid-set cheese. The soft, unpressed form is chhena (Bengali), the base of sandesh and rosogolla.

In the kitchen

Cubed into rich Mughal-style gravies (a korma, a makhani), skewered and grilled, crumbled into stuffings — always as a firm, flavour-absorbing body rather than a melting cheese. Fry or grill it lightly first for colour, or add it late so it stays tender.

What we know about the claims

Paneer is a good vegetarian protein and, being fresh and unaged, is lower in salt than most cheeses — but it is still a whole-milk product, rich in fat. A sound everyday food eaten sensibly.

Choosing and buying

Sold fresh or vacuum-packed in supermarkets and South Asian grocers (UK and US), or made at home in half an hour from milk and lemon. Fresh, home-made paneer is softer and better.