Indian paneer also known as cottage cheese is a form of non-melting fresh cheese, which is prepared by curdling of milk using lemon juice or yogurt. This squeaky curdled milk when changes into paneer form, it becomes versatile, tasty and a vegetarian’s best friend. It is used in myriad forms of traditional and contemporary North Indian recipes which are simply irresistible.

In North India, fresh cheese is typically enjoyed in flavourful gravies, bhurji form, tandoori form, kebab form and many more. It can be combined with vegetables like peas, spinach, fenugreek leaves, potatoes and mushrooms to give an amazing palate. If you crave for cottage cheese, you will start loving it even more by trying few North Indian restaurant specialities which can be easily made at home also.

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Paneer pasanda: It is a rich and delicious recipe of shallow fried paneer sandwiches stuffed with dry fruits and soaked in a smooth, creamy and exotic onion-tomato based gravy. This dish is guaranteed to leave you satiated and is perfect to be served on formal get-togethers or when you simply want to indulge yourself. It can be served with roti/ chapatti, plain naan, stuffed naan, garlic naan, plain paratha, lachcha paratha, jeera rice or pulao.

Paneer lababdar: This popular paneer gravy dish can be found on the menu of many restaurants. This recipe is more Punjabi style than Mughlai and uses onion, garlic, tomatoes, cashew nuts and spices to prepare the delectable gravy. The gravy is creamy, mildly tangy and faintly sweet. This dish goes well with roti/chapatti, paratha, plain naan, garlic naan, jeera rice or flavoured rice.

Paneer butter masala: Paneer butter masala is a rich creamy and delicious dish from Indian cuisine and there is no one particular way, it is made across India. As the name suggests, butter is one of the main ingredients in this dish. Onions, tomatoes, melon seeds and cream are other important ingredients to make this restaurant style gravy dish perfect. This recipe needs sautéing of onions and tomatoes in butter fist and then pureed to give the dish a unique flavour, colour and consistency. It is best served with roti/chapatti, paratha, naan, jeera rice or pulao.

Shahi paneer: As the name suggests, shahi means royal – it is a royal paneer dish which originated from mughlai cuisine. Cashews, saffron, rich cream, whole spices, yogurt and milk are its main ingredients. They make this dish rich. Paneer cubes taste amazing in rich, spicy, creamy sauce which can be eaten with roti/chapatti, naan, paratha, jeera rice and pulao.

Kadhai paneer: This semi-dry gravy paneer is cooked with onion and capsicum slices. Freshly ground whole Indian spices play a great role in giving authentic flavour to this dish. Adding freshly powdered coriander and garam masala spices do make a lot of difference to this paneer recipe. They give the gravy a mouth-watering spicy taste and pleasant aroma.  Enjoy this dish with roti/chapatti, paratha, naan, jeera rice or flavoured rice.

Palak paneer: This recipe is a classic North Indian dish consisting of goodness of spinach and cottage cheese. The spices in this dish pack a fragrant, flavourful punch after being lightly toasted. This dish has it origin in Indian subcontinent. It consists of soft paneer cubes in a thick smooth curry made from pureed spinach. Flavoured with onion, garlic and tomato paste and seasoned with garam masala and other Indian spices, it tastes amazing with roti/chapatti, paratha and naan.

Matar paneer: It is a simple dish having spicy and creamy curry made with tomatoes and spices like garam masala. Mild sweetness of green peas and softness of cottage cheese soaked in this gravy make a perfect combination to be served with roti/chapatti, poori, paratha or jeera rice. This dish has its origin in North Indian state, Punjab and it is a favourite on festivals and parties.

Paneer bhurji: This popular North Indian Punjabi dish is made from crumbled paneer. In this dish, paneer is scrambled and sautéed with finely chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies and simple Indian spices, such as salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Garnished with fresh coriander leaves, this dish tastes amazing with roti/chapatti, plain paratha, lachcha paratha and bakery bread.

Malai kofta: Soft and mouth-melting koftas soaked in delicious gravy is a popular paneer dish. It tops the list of foods ordered at North Indian restaurants. Malai stands for rich cream and koftas stand for fried paneer dumplings of mashed paneer bound with white bread and corn flour. Koftas can be made plain or stuffed with dry fruits. The gravy is creamy thick, mild and lightly sweet in taste. This dish goes very well with almost every Indian bread.

Paneer tikka: This popular dish is widely available in India and countries with a good Indian population. Paneer tikka is a tandoori dish and a good alternative to chicken tikka for the vegans. Paneer chunks are marinated in a thick creamy marinade made of cream, yogurt, garlic-ginger paste and few spices to elevate the flavour. After marinating, these paneer chunks are grilled until crispy golden in a tandoor (earthen oven). The spicy appetiser is served with along with diced and tandoor grilled onions, tomatoes and capsicums. Accompanied with coriander chutney and onion rings salad, this starter tastes just amazing. It can be eaten as it is or with roomali roti. 

Paneer is a blank canvas. It is up to you, how you spice it up. Besides these North Indian styles of paneer dishes, you can customise them to your personal preferences on flavour and method of cooking. To make these paneer recipes at home, you can either buy readymade cottage cheese from the market or you can also make it at home. Home-made paneer is always better, hygienic, softer and cheaper than the store-bought paneer. These dishes are often made on festive or celebratory occasions and also when there are guests at home. They taste best when served hot.

The ever-so-versatile paneer is not just a powerhouse of protein but also all essential minerals that are necessary for the healthy well-being of an individual.