What is Paneer?
Paneer is a fresh curd cheese made by curdling milk with an acid such as lemon or vinegar. It is not aged and does not melt, making it an excellent cheese to grill, fry or cut into cubes and cook with sauces. The texture is firm and dry. Its color is white and the flavor is bland, mild and milky, making it excellent to marinate, spice and serve with savory flavors. It is mostly found in Indian cuisine, but can be found in other cuisines as well.
Ingredients
...Milk is almost always sourced come from cows. Sometimes sheep, goat, yak and water buffalo milk are used. In general, store bough milk comes from a cow, unless specified otherwise. Whole milk is white, or cream colored and has a higher fat content than skim milk and therefore a creamier and richer texture and flavor. The flavor is mild and bland with a hint of savory sweetness and is satisfying, especially due to its creaminess. Milk is served as a beverage and used in a multitude of dishes both sweet and savory.
...Cream is the fat derived from milk. Other milking animals can produce cream, but it is most commonly obtained from cows. The cream can vary from an off white to a pale golden color. The texture is smooth and can be thick, like a high fat yogurt, or thin, as is often seen in store bought cartons of whipping cream. The flavor is delicate, milky and buttery. Cream is used in a huge variety of food items and dishes, from baked goods, to curries, as glaze for scones, or a flavoring for tea and coffee.
...Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
...Additives are added to food items in small quantities to improve the flavor, change the texture, enhance appearance, or preserve the item. Additives are both natural and artificial. Natural additives have been used for a long time, while many artificial ones were discovered in the 19th century. There are numerous artificial additives including soy lecithin, guar gum, ascorbic acid and sodium nitrite.
...Enzymes are living organisms. They are found in plants and are lab made by humans. These enzymes create specific reactions and are used in food production for this purpose. For example the enzyme called papain, which comes from papaya is used as a meat tenderizer. Some enzymes break down lactose, or keep the fermentation processes stable. Enzymes are commonly sold as powder, or in tablet form.