Regular paneer is an Indian dairy cheese very popular in Indian dishes. It's mostly often cooked into curries and vegetarian dishes such as Saag Paneer, but can also be grilled and served on kabobs or in sandwiches ... and is even used in desserts.
If you're not doing dairy, however, paneer is not an option. You could use feta ... but that's also dairy ... albeit healthier dairy.
But here's a Dairy Free and Gluten Free alternative that you can use carefully in Indian dishes. I say carefully because ... since they're made out a kind of refrigerated cashew jello ... you can't heat them. Otherwise they melt.
But they ARE wonderful as toppings for traditional Indian dishes. Simply cook the dish and then sprinkle them on top.
The bad news is that they're NOT vegan ... they use gelatin as a binder. And the author of this, myheartbeets.com, had not used a vegetarian option to date.
I DID unearth another recipe with pressed tofu and nutritional yeast. I have the tofu press ... I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile ... try this one!
AuthorJill PlaceA Dairy Free Gluten Free substitute for the favorite cheese in Indian cuisine ... and creamy and delicious too! Sprinkle on curries and dishes such as Saag Paneer or Matar Paneer.
After the cashews have soaked for at least 8 hours, drain them and place them in a food processor or high speed blender. Blend until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides a few times if needed.
Add water and gelatin to a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved, then add this mixture to the blender along with the lemon juice, salt, and cream of tartar. Blend until smooth.
Pour the cashew mixture into an 8x4 parchment-lined loaf pan and refrigerate overnight or until the paneer has firmed.
Cut the paneer into cubs or desired shape and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Add to dishes right before serving to keep solid; they will melt if folded into a hot dish.
Ingredients
Directions
After the cashews have soaked for at least 8 hours, drain them and place them in a food processor or high speed blender. Blend until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides a few times if needed.
Add water and gelatin to a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved, then add this mixture to the blender along with the lemon juice, salt, and cream of tartar. Blend until smooth.
Pour the cashew mixture into an 8x4 parchment-lined loaf pan and refrigerate overnight or until the paneer has firmed.
Cut the paneer into cubs or desired shape and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Add to dishes right before serving to keep solid; they will melt if folded into a hot dish.
Leave a Reply