Paneer 350-400g

Fresh paneer — Indian cottage cheese, indischer Frischkäse — in a 400g block. Firm, mild and unsalted, it holds its shape when cooked, which is what makes it the workhorse protein of vegetarian Indian cooking.

Cut it into cubes for palak paneer, paneer butter masala, matar paneer or kadai paneer; skewer and grill it for paneer tikka; crumble it for bhurji, or grate it into kofta and sweets like rasmalai and sandesh.

Two things make a real difference: fry or grill the cubes briefly before they go into the gravy so they hold together, and add them near the end, since long cooking turns paneer rubbery. Soaking the cubes in warm water for ten minutes before use softens them again. Keep refrigerated and use within a few days of opening.