What to use instead of paneer
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Cheese cubes that hold their shape in a hot gravy
Paneer is set with acid rather than rennet, so it has no stretchy protein network and stays in firm cubes at a simmer instead of flowing.
Firm or extra-firm tofu, pressedPlant-based
1:1 by weight, pressed 30 minutes
Same shape and bite with less milky flavour. It soaks up more gravy, so season the sauce harder than the recipe says.
HalloumiRan out
1:1 by weight, rinsed
Holds up the same and browns better in the pan. Far saltier, so halve the salt in the gravy.
Queso fresco or queso blancoRan out
1:1 by weight
Nearly the same cheese made a continent away. A little crumblier at the edges and a touch saltier.
Firm farmer cheese, pressed and cubedRan out
1:1 by weight
Milder and softer, so cut bigger cubes and add them in the last five minutes or they break apart.
What doesn't work: Fresh mozzarella or any melting cheese. Rennet-set cheese flows at about 60C, so the cubes slump into strings and the gravy turns stringy and greasy.
Mild fresh cheese blended into a kofta or filling
Grated paneer binds with potato or flour into a soft dumpling and keeps it tender, since it has no melt to toughen the mix.
Full-fat ricotta, drainedRan out
1 cup drained ricotta per 1 cup grated paneer
Wetter and softer, so add 2 tbsp more binder. The kofta comes out delicate and can break in the fryer.
Dry cottage cheese, pressedRan out
1 cup per 1 cup grated paneer
Closest in curd texture. Rinse it or the tang shows through, and press it hard or the mix will not hold together.
Crumbled firm tofu with lemon juicePlant-based
1 cup crumbled tofu + 1 tsp lemon juice per 1 cup paneer
Binds well and tastes flatter, so the filling needs more salt and more warm spice to carry it.
What doesn't work: Cream cheese. The gums and the high fat keep it soft at frying temperature, so the kofta collapses in the oil and what survives tastes sweet and tangy against the gravy.
Home paneer is 4 litres of whole milk with 4 tbsp lemon juice, pressed 30 minutes. Ultra-pasteurised milk will not curdle cleanly.