What's paneer?

[Flying Grype]

I... was having a bad day yesterday. Got home from a family visit in which my sister treated me like crap, and got a call that my company didn't want me after my probation period. Oh, and I'm out of antidepressants and my doctor is out of town until Thursday.

Then I went to the grocery store to get ingredients for a comfort curry. Cauliflower, tikka sauce in a jar, yogurt... where's the paneer? They used to sell paneer here. I checked both cheese aisles and asked three or four staffers who worked in those sections, and none of them knew what the hell it was.

I hope I wasn't sucky to them. I felt like I was about to go Katie Kaboom while I talked to them, but I avoided it, and I don't think I abused them at all. I can't remember. But damn. I guess they aren't paid enough to know about the products their store sells. Wish I could figure out where the paneer went, or where else to get it in that neighbourhood.

I feel better today, oddly enough.

[Raveni]

Have you tried making your own?
http://fxcuisine.com/Default.asp?Display=44

Heed their advice: Don't make lavender soap cheese.

[Flying Grype]

LOL. I've heard about making your own. I guess I should try it while I'm still living with no cats and no mice...

[Flying Grype]

They started carrying paneer again, for what it's worth. Guess enough people complained to staffers who knew what it was.

[rose_metal_nz]

bahahahahahahahaaaa - I bought paneer once/first time, not knowing what it was other than "ingredient I want to try out". Cooked beautifully FWIW. But while prepping dinner, I sliced myself a big chunk and popped it in my mouth, expecting something like feta (which I thought it looked like) ........... :O Not quite LOL
Learning experience!!

[Flying Grype]

I haven't tried eating it raw. The texture isn't that appetizing. I love when it gets warm and sproingy like tofu.

A friend of mine who is Bengali and has experience with this stuff says that the recipes for making paneer at home don't make the solid block of non-melty cheese. They make a sort of lumpy cottage cheese which is very tasty but not really the same. You have to have a proper cheese press to make it into something like what you buy in the store.

[camjuniper]

I've made paneer before!

Having never purchased paneer to cook, I don't know how the texture holds up to that, but from what I remember of the expensive Indian places I've eaten at, they seemed similar.

I followed Ricki Carroll's recipe from Home Cheese Making and drained the curds very thoroughly by twisting the butter muslin quite tight and hanging it from my faucet for several hours. Definitely not a spreadable cottage cheese a that point. I was able to cut it, fry it and toss it in a lovely sauce.

[iradney]

one of my FAVOURITE indian dishes is paneer palak (paneer in a yummy creamy spinach curry). Soooooo noms...

[Peppergirl]

Saag Paneer is one of my faves. Hmmmmm. Drool!!!!