Paneer

Paneer, also known as ponir, is a fresh acid-set cheese common in cuisine of the Indian subcontinent made from full-fat buffalo milk or cow milk. It is a non-aged, non-melting soft cheese made by curdling milk with a fruit- or vegetable-derived acid, such as lemon juice.

The word paneer entered English from the Hindi-Urdu term panīr, which comes from Persian panir 'cheese', which comes from Old Iranian. Armenian panir Azeri pəndir, Bengali ponir, Turkish peynir and Turkmen peýnir, all derived from Persian panir, also refer to cheese of any type.

The origin of paneer is debated. Ancient Indian, Afghan-Iranian and Portuguese origins have been proposed for paneer. One theory is that like the word itself, paneer originated in Persianate lands and spread to the Indian subcontinent under Muslim rule. Paneer, according to this theory, was developed and moulded to suit local tastes under these rulers, and the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire are when paneer as currently known developed. Another theory states that paneer is Afghan in origin and spread to India from the lands that make up Afghanistan

According to others, paneer is indigenous to the north-western part of South Asia and was introduced in India by Afghan and Iranian travellers.

Yet another theory is that the Portuguese may have introduced the technique of "breaking" milk with acid to Bengal in the 17th century.

It is usually fried in apan like halloumi.