Making Paneer Softer !

A reader asked us a question which is quite common :

Q – Once while in singapore, i had an excellent paneer dish, where the paneer was so soft and melts in my mouth. How do I get this? Could it be the curdling agent (I always use lime/vinegar, but I’ve read that curd is the best agent). I’ve also tried frying the paneer, and soaking in water for a softer texture,but to no avail. How do I get that soft, melt in the mouth texture?

Kuntal answers :

1) Always use the full cream milk instead of toned milk for making your paneer as the higher fat content keeps paneer moist and soft.
2) Yes, curd is the best curdling agent but you can still use lime/ vinegar to curdle the milk for the paneer. Try using the whey (drained liquid of solid paneer) for curdling the milk.
3) When you drain the liquid and collect the solid content in a muslin/ cheese cloth, dip the content (paneer) in the ice-chilled water to stop overcooking and hardening. The chilled water lowers the internal temperature and retains the moisture inside.
4) Add the pieces of raw paneer, if the recipe demands, towards the end of the cooking process and avoid reheating your dish containing paneer.

Enjoy and take care.