Paneer (Indian cheese) is a hot favourite among the Indians. It is prepared by curdling milk with some kind of acid, either lemon juice or vegetable acid. You can have paneer as a full meal or as a snack item. According to history, paneer originated in Southeast Asia as early as the 16th century. It was introduced by the Afghani and the Persian rulers and now is an integral part of Indian cuisine.
Some of the popular paneer dishes enjoyed all over India are Kadai paneer, shahi paneer, palak paneer, paneer butter masala and paneer tikka masala. Here we will talk about some of the popular, lip-smacking paneer dishes that you can easily prepare at home.
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#1. Palak Paneer
The mouth-watering palak paneer dish is prepared with pureed spinach. As the name suggests, the key ingredient of the dish is spinach (palak). The other ingredients used for making the dish are onion, garlic, ginger, curd, besan, tomato etc. This dish has originated from the Punjab state in the north of India.
Apart from being a delicious dish, it offers an array of nutrients such as Vitamin K, Vitamin A, calcium, potassium, folate and magnesium. Try tossing up the dish at home. You can easily find a palak paneer recipe on the Internet. Check it out and make the dish. Enjoy it with crispy paratha (Indian flattened bread) or naan.
#2. Shahi Paneer
The delectable dish of shahi paneer is prepared with Indian cottage cheese, tomatoes, onion, fresh cream and an array of Indian spices. It is a royal, cream-based dish that is a part of Mughlai cuisine. The preparation involves the emulsification of onions, tomatoes, clarified butter, ground cashews and cream.
The original dish of shahi paneer never made use of tomatoes as those vegetables were not present during the Mughal era. Instead, the dish was prepared with yogurt, saffron and nuts. Nowadays, it is prepared differently and tomatoes are also used. Many preparations also use Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), which enhance the taste of the dish. Follow a shahi paneer recipe and stir up this royal dish today.
#3. Paneer Makhani
Another popular dish that has originated in the Indian subcontinent is Paneer Makhani. It is a cream-based dish also known as paneer butter masala. The gravy of the dish is prepared with cashews, tomatoes, cream and a dollop of butter. Makhan in Hindi is butter and that is the main ingredient in the dish.
According to history, the origin of the dish can be traced back to Delhi’s Moti Mahal Restaurant. In the 1950s one of the chefs tossed up the dish by mixing butter into gravy made with onion and tomato.
The above-mentioned dishes are some of the most popular paneer preparations that are suited to the Indian palate. All the dishes are not only delicious but nutritious as well and can be prepared very easily. If you still have not tried out any of the dishes, quickly check out the recipes and make them.
