The Protein Powerhouse: Paneer
Food items like eggs, meat, fish and chicken are the primary sources of protein but in case you are a vegetarian then you should definitely add paneer, which is an ideal food that can fulfill your daily protein intake.
Paneer is a very common fresh cottage cheese used in India. Paneer, as it is used nowadays, is prepared by separating milk using curd, buttermilk, vinegar or other edible acids. This variant for cheese was introduced in north Indian cuisine from Persia or Afghanistan in 15th -16th century. A soft-textured, non-melting milk-based ingredient is also been mentioned in our ancient Vedic texts.
Paneer differs from cheese because it is emulsified using food-based acids and not the emulsifying agent rennet that is derived from calf/cattle intestines. This gives paneer a much shorter shelf life than cheese that can be stored for months.
For vegetarians, paneer is an ideal food for bodybuilding because it is rich in protein. It has high protein content – 100 grams of paneer contains up to 18 grams of protein. Widely known as the building blocks of our cells, proteins are responsible for maintaining and repair of body tissues, providing structure, strength and elasticity for various body parts, maintenance of fluid and pH balance and is also responsible for key biochemical reactions that help in digestion, energy production, clotting of blood and muscle contraction.
Paneer should be a key constituent of diet for vegetarians as a source of proteins. It can be eaten raw and also as an ingredient in snacks like pakoras, sandwiches, rolls and cutlets. Its bland taste makes it ideal for flavouring as per anyone’s tastes. It can be easily paired and mixed with spices like jeera (cumin), ajwain(carrom seeds), pudina(mint) and pepper. Chenna, a variant of paneer also pairs well with sugar and is the main ingredient for many popular Indian sweets like rasogulla, rajbhog, sandesh and rasmalai.
Now, branded packaged paneer is also available in convenient packs. Packaged varieties also include a low-fat version and paneer flavoured with cumin, mint and some other spices.
We can conclude that paneer is highly nutritious food. It not only provides a number of health benefits but also is delicious and can be made in a number of ways. It is wholesome and can easily be categorised as a superfood.
Courtesy – Chef Manjit Gill.