Paneer?

Can anyone suggest a place to buy paneer - Indian cheese - around Devon, the northside, or Evanston? I just found this lovely looking recipe that must be tried soon:

http://www.hookedonheat.com/2006/12/29/looking-back/

I tried making paneer recently, but it was only okay. At this point I'd rather buy the stuff, and I've never really ventured into the stores on Devon. Suggestions would be appreciated.

- Mike

I am sure that you shouldn't have much trouble in any of the larger stores along Devon. One place I am virtually certain I saw it relatively recently was:
Fresh Food
2240 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL
(773) 338-4080

Good luck.

Paneer is pretty much cottage cheese. It is easy to make yourself. Heat whole milk of choice to 185F for 10 minutes. Add white vinegar a glug at a time until curds form. Strain in real (butter) cheesecloth. Not the grocery store stuff. Let hang in cheesecloth for a few hours. Done.

Kit

I was just in Patel Bros. They usually have an open refrigerator in the front with paneer and other dairy and sweets. The store is in the process of being renovated, but they're still open. The work they're doing looks good--exposed beams in the ceiling and brick walls, widening aisles. Never would've guessed the charm this place had underneath the bland market exterior. Wonder if being included in the Saveur 100 list had anything to do with it.

Patel Bros.
2542 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 764-1857

kit wrote:Paneer is pretty much cottage cheese. It is easy to make yourself. Heat whole milk of choice to 185F for 10 minutes. Add white vinegar a glug at a time until curds form. Strain in real (butter) cheesecloth. Not the grocery store stuff. Let hang in cheesecloth for a few hours. Done.

I should add though that supermarket 'cottage cheese' is not a good substitute for 'paneer', ricotta may be a better - in all cases (including home made) you'll have to drain it under a weight to get the block of 'paneer' (I'm assuming that you'll want cubes or a block of paneer).

Kit, I've gotten better results with citric acid instead of vinegar for paneer - you need much less than vinegar, so it affects the taste less (In India, lime juice is often used - but a fair amount has to be used). I typically make up a solution from the citric acid crystals and add to boiling milk/cream.

NorthWater market/Fresh farms usually has paneer. In the refrigerator case at the back near the milk, as well as sometimes in the deli case with the other cheeses. In the latter case ask for a taste - it should taste fresh (ricotta-ish but stronger), often it is a bit too salty.
Depending on what you are going to use it for and if you plan on frying cubes of paneer, you might see cubes of fried paneer in that deli case, be tempted, say to yourself, "Hmmm, that'll save me a bit of frying. Maybe I'll just get that then." Don't.

North Water Market / Fresh Farms
626 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL
(773) 764-3557

Pardon my ignorance, but I have a hard time telling my paneer from my queso blanco/queso fresco. Some queso blanco might be a little dry and salty, but I think these cheeses make a decent, if not perfect, substitute.

I hate to cite Wiki, but someone else had the same point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queso_fresco

JeffB wrote:Pardon my ignorance, but I have a hard time telling my paneer from my queso blanco/queso fresco. Some queso blanco might be a little dry and salty, but I think these cheeses make a decent, if not perfect, substitute.

I hate to cite Wiki, but someone else had the same point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queso_fresco

You are perfectly right, JeffB, just different names from different parts of the world.
(And you don't even have to look elsewhere)

What is the shelf-life for paneer? I bought a block at Patel this weekend and only used half. There was no expiration/sell-by date (that I could find) on the packaging. How long will the remaining block keep in the fridge? Is it possible to freeze it for later use?

I too have made paneer successfully at home. I use lemon rather than vinegar as it has a less pronounced taste than vinegar. Letting it hang until all the liquid is removed and then weighting it (as pointed out) is critical for achieving the right consistency.

Regarding freezing, it is my opinion that freezing impacts the texture of the paneer.

I would agree that queso fresco would make a reasonable substitute. However, why substitute when paneer is so readily available in Indian stores.

Jyoti

Daisy11 wrote:What is the shelf-life for paneer? I bought a block at Patel this weekend and only used half. There was no expiration/sell-by date (that I could find) on the packaging. How long will the remaining block keep in the fridge? Is it possible to freeze it for later use?

Several of the Indian grocers in the burbs have paneer in the freezer case, in whole, cubed and fried cubed packaging. I've used the frozen whole stuff, partially thawed to facilitate slicing, and it works extremely well.

I am planning to attempt palak paneer and was wondering the best place to buy paneer. I don't really want to substitute tofu.

I've purchased paneer at Whole Foods.

Paneer can be obtained at Fresh Farms on Touhy in regular and lower fat versions.
It works quite well.-Dick