Popular in the Indian subcontinent, paneer is a mild-flavored cheese that goes well with curries. And if you’re looking for a new recipe to add to your rotation and switch up your everyday meals, you've come to the right place!
Rotations of paneer recipes are common in Indian households. Growing up, I looked forward to coming home from school to mom's paneer curry and warm, fresh "roti" (Indian bread). So, you can imagine my surprise when I first saw paneer in the cheese section here in Finland, and even more shocked to learn that Kris had never tried it.
“Food is the ingredient that binds us together.”
What’s paneer and how to cook it?
I think most people would agree that the ingredient paneer itself isn’t the tastiest; some could even describe it as somewhat bland. The Indian cottage cheese known as paneer is soft and easy to dice. When sautéed, it forms a lovely golden brown coating on the outside while the inside is still soft.
I like pairing paneer with a curry that’s flavourful or with other ingredients that give the dish more dimension. In this case, chickpeas and baby spinach complement paneer well and make the dish more filling.
What can I pair this fusion paneer with?
To make a whole dinner out of this paneer curry, simply serve it with rice or bread. A more traditional pairing would be with white rice or Indian flatbreads (such as roti, paratha, or naan). On the other hand, brown rice or quinoa would make for a healthier, less traditional combination. When preparing meals, we recommend serving this curry with rice and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Couple of Expats fusion paneer in a nutshell:
Vegetarian friendly recipe
Meal-prep inspiration
Asian inspired dish