Paneer Kabab Recipe in just 15 minutes - Cubes N Juliennes (2024)

FAQs

How do you make paneer soft? ›

Boil some water in a bowl. Once it comes to a boil, put a strainer over it and spread out the paneer cubes so that they absorb the steam. Put a lid on top so that the steam cannot escape. After 10-15 mins, you'll have super soft and spongy paneer cubes.

On a low flame cook covered just for 1 to 3 minutes. Cooking for longer can make the paneer harder. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons cream and stir. You should get this thick creamy texture as you see in the picture below.

Spread half of the oil on a non-stick pan or a well-seasoned cast iron pan and heat it well. Once hot, place the paneer pieces over the hot pan and let fry on a medium heat for 3 to 4 mins, until the bottom is crisp.

Soak in Hot Water

Fill a medium size bowl with warm water (about 110 degrees F). Immerse the paneer cubes into the water, making sure all parts of the paneer are fully submerged. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, then drain.

Add about 2 to 3 teaspoons of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in 1 litre milk. With vinegar the milk curdles faster and quicker. Curd or yogurt: Fresh curd will give you more softer and moist paneer. You could add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of fresh curd or yogurt when making paneer recipe with 1 litre milk.

Cooking extracts moisture from the paneer, thereby making it hard and rubbery. Paneer is very healthy until you don't fry it you can try using it without frying. If you are making dishes with paneer then according to me you don't need to fry it . Frying paneer before using it is a choice.

Always Rinse Paneer Before Using

This is the first and most important step of cooking paneer. Wheather you are using a store-bought paneer or the homemade one, you should rinse it properly under the tap water. Doing this not only helps in getting rid of the sour taste but also removes any odour from their surface.

Although many Indians translate "paneer" into "cottage cheese", cottage cheese is made using rennet extracted from the stomach of ruminants, and cow's skim milk. Queso blanco or queso fresco are often recommended as substitutes in the Americas and Spain as they are more commercially available in many American markets.

Similarly adding too much of lemon juice or vinegar will make the paneer harder & grainier. So begin by adding only a little and add more as needed until it curdles. Once the milk curdles completely, turn off the stove and avoid cooking further to prevent the paneer from turning hard.

After frying, if the paneer becomes hard, let the raw paneer soak in normal water for 10 minutes. This is because cooking extracts the paneer moisture making it hard or rubbery to eat.

Is it better to fry or boil paneer? ›

Do you have to fry the paneer? Absolutely not! The thing is, raw paneer has a tendency to fall apart when added to a sauce. By frying the cubed paneer, you create a crispy crust to the cheese which helps it retain its shape when cooked into a hot curry sauce.

But if for some reason the paneer is too compact, it can be a problem. Try soaking it in water for an hour or so to prep it, Squeeze/drain & then use. After cooking your dish leave it for 10–15 min to allow it to absorb whatever its been cooked in.

Over cooking paneer, that too in high temperature, may affect the fat molecules in paneer, resulting in its tough and chewy texture. Hence, it is always suggested to cook paneer on medium heat, until it holds the shape.

When paneer is stored in the refrigerator it becomes dry and hard in texture. To make the paneer soft,always soak the paneer in warm water for five minutes prior to cooking.

Top tip: If you find your paneer can get a bit dry or chewy when fried or cooked, you can soak it in water for 10 minutes so it retains more moisture while cooking.