Paneer is the everyday fresh cheese of the Indian subcontinent — a firm, mild, milky-white block made by curdling hot milk with an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar, then draining and pressing the curds. Because it is set with acid rather than rennet and is never aged, it is rennet-free (and so suitable for vegetarians) and, crucially, it does not melt: it holds its shape when cubed and fried or simmered, soaking up sauce in dishes like palak paneer, matar paneer and paneer tikka.