Despite being a hard-core meat-eater, I have always had a soft spot for paneer. This is why, it features in my meals so often. I like to cut paneer very thin or crumble it so that I do not have to bite into a big, bland cube of paneer. Due to this, I am often left with a lot of left-over cubes of paneer. Now, my problem is not with the left-over paneer, thanks to its versatility, I know I would use it to make 367 different things, but I am often confused as to how you are supposed to store it in the refrigerator. Do you keep the entire slab inside, or do you have to refrigerate it in some kind of air-tight containers? Is there an ideal way to store something as non-fussy as a paneer? Or are we just overthinking?
News Flash: Your Paneer Will Continue To Tighten With Time, Here’s How You Can Keep It Soft
Turns out, there is indeed a better way to store paneer that will ensure that it is soft, creamy and fresh for a long time. Mind you, paneer is a dairy product, which means it does not have a shelf-life of a pickle, so you have to be a little more careful here.
A stale block of paneer has a yellowish appearance, it is also significantly harder to cut or bite into, whereas the fresh block is white and ultra-soft, almost spongy. So, when you press it gently, it regains its shape, there is no dent and it certainly does not crumble.
To make sure your paneer remains fresh as new. You cannot keep it outside, you obviously need to refrigerate it, but tossing the whole slab in as it is, may dehydrate the paneer, making it tighter and firmer. You can either put it in a container before storing it in the fridge or another traditional and efficient method is to take a muslin cloth and wrap your paneer inside it. You don’t have to wrap it very tightly. Make sure all edges are sealed and that your paneer is not exposed from any area, or else that portion would harden with time. It is advisable to use a damp muslin cloth that helps lock the moisture, and prevent the paneer from losing its softness, and a damp cloth also ensures there is no friction between the paneer and the cloth.
After a while when you open the refrigerator door, you may see that the cloth has dried up, that is because the refrigerator has pulled out all the moisture from the cloth. In such an event, you can splash some water on the cloth and refrigerate again.
