Do you like paneer? Mumbai chefs decode the soft cheese and why it is so popular in India

"Few think of paneer as cheese," says chef Sohail Karimi, executive chef, Radisson Blu Karjat, continuing, "Hot, curdled milk masses the proteins and fats texturing are pressed together in a cloth producing a smooth white solid that almost everybody in India connects with at some level."

Don't we all love paneer? It is more like an emotion. The chunks of soft cheese when dunked into curries ooze out so many different juices and flavours that you can't stop at one. The fact that they can be grilled and enjoyed with capsicum and tomato is just one of the many reasons to fall for the versatile ingredient. Such is India's love for paneer that it is synonymous with many Indian cuisines that produce a wide variety of dishes that are not only enjoyed in northern India but also the southern parts.

Texture and popularity
In fact, for Karimi, mention ‘paneer' and it takes him back to the first time he bought paneer and it is probably something that he will never forget. "I remember the first time I bought ‘real' paneer from the Punjab Sind Paneer Centre at Breach Candy in Mumbai. I was an impatient teenager eagerly taking home a block of freshly cut paneer, to make a quixotic version of makhanwala using kasuri methi and cashew nut paste." While the makhanwala turned out average, says the Mumbai chef, it was the characteristics of the paneer that has stayed with him all these years he has been a chef. "It had a delicious dairy freshness from the whey that trickled out of it. The fact is that paneer doesn't have any flavour of its own. It readily takes on the flavours added to it. This means that it can be made in different ways with a host of different ingredients," he adds.

Such is the popularity of paneer that Shahi Paneer was ranked the third most popular dish in the world, according to a survey by TasteAtlas, for its list ‘Best Cheese Dishes in the World'. It appears after the Swiss Raclette and Greek Saganaki, but is followed by another Indian favourite, Paneer Tikka, at number four. Dishes with the ingredient are so popular that in the top 50 there are as many as seven dishes including Mattar Paneer, Palak Paneer, Saag Paneer, Kadai Paneer and Paneer Makhani too. Visibly many of these appear on the menus at almost every other restaurant in the city. Karimi reveals that even Multani Paneer Tikka is one of the signature appetisers at the five-star property, along with paneer lifafa, paneer laung lata, paneer pasanda and najboo paneer - all of which are their experiments with the dish.

It is no different at Grand Hyatt Mumbai, where chef Rakesh Kamble of Fifty Five East, one of the restaurants at the five-star property, where they not only use it for lunch and dinner but also breakfast. He shares, "At breakfast, it is often used as a stuffing in parathas or dosas. It is also a popular ingredient in salads, stir-fries and curries across cuisines. In Thai cuisine, it can be found in stir-fries, whereas in Indian cuisine, it is a common ingredient in starters like Paneer Tikka and main courses such as Kadhai Paneer. Even in the western section, you can find paneer in dishes like Grilled Cottage Cheese steak with a barbeque sauce."

Reimagining paneer dishes
While the traditional dishes are a favourite, Kamble has also taken the liberty to do his own version of the paneer tikka masala. "I deconstructed the dish by cooking the paneer in the tandoor right before serving it, while the gravy was prepared separately. This approach led to a Westernised plating style where the paneer was served directly on the plate from the skewer, with the sauce poured on top for added flavour. I added a touch of freshness by garnishing the dish with coriander. It was accompanied by a mini cheese naan, which was partially stuffed with grated paneer," he shares.

It is also the reason why he believes that the ingredient has never been taken for granted, a sentiment echoed by other chefs too. However, people have taken it up a step further by innovating with it. "It has become a popular stuffing for parathas, dosas, and even stuffed chillies and capsicums. It is also widely used as a main course ingredient in various cuisines, such as Indian, Thai, and Western. Paneer has even found its way into desserts like Jalebis, where it adds a unique and delightful taste and texture," explains Kamble.

While Kamble reimagined the Paneer Tikka Masala, chef Juliano Rodrigues, head chef at city-based Out Of The Blue has taken paneer and given it a modern Indian feel to it. While they do include it in sizzlers and burgers, they have a cottage cheese steak in paprika sauce that is a popular vegetarian option. "In the past, I've developed dishes including cottage cheese with Kasundi mustard sauce and Cottage cheese with Mustard BBQ sauce."

The variations are plenty, and like for many other restaurants in Mumbai, even The Sahib Room & Kipling Bar and Seven Kitchens at The St Regis Mumbai boast of many paneer dishes. Apart from paneer gravies like shahi paneer, and kadhai paneer, executive chef Paul Kinny says they use it to make paneer parathas, bhurji, and spiced grilled cottage cheese along with pizzas, salads and cold sandwiches. "The possibilities are endless," he echoes the sentiment of every other Indian chef. "Paneer is intrinsic to Indian kitchens and it's fundamental that we have paneer not only for vegetarians, but for its own value as well. The softness and creaminess of paneer also panders to non-vegetarian consumers," he adds. The fact that it can be fried, sautéed, grilled means that it is used abundantly and often as luxury for special meals.

Rodrigues reiterates Kinny's sentiment and says that paneer is thought to be eaten by vegetarians only is actually a misconception. Simply because it is very versatile and is a staple in most Indian homes because of its short cooking time, wide availability, mild flavour and pleasing texture. "It is without a doubt one of India's best-kept vegetarian secrets that we have guarded in India for so long. Most importantly, its ability to match with a wide range of flavour characteristics is a significant plus," adds Rodrigues, who is aware of the recent top 3 place, and believes that it's refreshing that Indian cuisine is getting its due in the form of paneer on the international stage.

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