Paneer Bites are a slice of paneer coated in a flavorful breadcrumb coating and toasted to perfection.
Sometimes, I get a crazy idea and I cannot help but try to explore it. I love paneer. And I love mozzarella sticks. So what happens when I combined them? Now, paneer is classically a cheese that does not get gooey. It’s not built to do that. That distinction is already going to make these paneer bites wildly different from mozzarella sticks.
I did the approach as I would with another cheese stick which centering everything around the paneer. Since I typically associate paneer with Indian flavors, I decided to mix in Indian spices into the breadcrumbs to give the snack a more flavorful vibe. I really love the way that these turned out! They were delicious and pretty much what you would expect from paneer covered in breadcrumbs.
Check out the Make section of MCG for more fun recipes like desserts and savory dishes.
Ingredients
There is a lot of ingredients that go into making these paneer bites but most of them are for adding flavor rather than being “necessary”. I do feel like the flavor is needed but when there is a mound of spices, there is room to play. Add more, add less, experiment! Some might work, some won’t, and that’s okay.
Process
The process of making these paneer bites is very simple. I started by prepping the paneer and cutting the block into smaller squares that would be the size of the bites. The paneer ended up being in a square shape, but I did debate going rectangular. A part of me wanted to keep them visually distinct from mozzarella sticks, another part of me wanted to mimic them.
Then I prepared the three bowl that would be needed to coat the paneer. One bowl was a mix of flour, salt, and pepper. The next was a mix of egg and milk. And the last bowl was a combination of breadcrumbs and a variety of spices.
To coat the paneer, I dipped a piece in the flour and shook off any excess. The natural wetness of the paneer will cause the flour to stick. Then I dipped the piece into the egg mixture, the excess naturally will drip off. Finally, I dipped the piece into the breadcrumb mixture and tried to make sure that all areas were as covered as possible.
I repeated this process for all of the paneer pieces. Then it was time to cook! There were two different methods of cooking that I tried; an air fryer or the oven. Both methods did a good job of crisping up the paneer bites. And then it was time to enjoy them!
Reflections
I like how the crunchy texture of the coating contrasted with the smooth texture of the paneer. Since the paneer has an almost cooling effect, I wish that I had gone even spicier with the breadcrumb coating. This would have given a good contrast of flavors that also complimented each other. But I still enjoyed the result that I got.
Lessons
What is Paneer?
I have always enjoyed paneer since I was a child. And I was told it is a type of cheese and really didn’t think much beyond that. But now I wonder, what is paneer? What makes it special from other cheeses? Paneer is a cheese that has taken full-fat milk and actively curdled it. This is done by using a fruit or vegetable-based acid to set the paneer. It is an unaged cheese that does not melt which is why it is so popular in curry dishes as a protein substitute (despite the lack of protein).
recipe
Paneer Bites
Ingredients
- 1 Paneer Block
- ⅓ Cup All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Egg
- 2 Tablespoon Milk
- ¾ Cup Breadcrumbs
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and pepper.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.
- In another small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, garam masala powder, chili powder, and cumin powder.
- Cut Paneer in 2 inches by 2 inches by ½ inch squares (or whatever shape feels good).
- Dredge a square in flour and shake off any excess. Dip in egg mix and then coat in breadcrumb mix. Repeat with each piece of paneer.
- Air fry the pieces at 400° Fahrenheit for 5 minutes (do not stack while cooking) OR lay the pieces flat on a baking tray and bake at 400° Fahrenheit for 9 to 12 minutes, flipping over at the midway point.
- Enjoy!!
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