Mastering The Art Of Salting Paneer

Salt is an essential ingredient in cooking, but it can be tricky to get the amount just right. Too much salt can ruin a dish, but there are ways to fix this common mistake. The best way to avoid over-salting is to add it gradually while tasting the dish as you go. It's also important to know your salt – some varieties, like table salt, are much saltier than others, so be mindful of the kind you're using. If you do over-salt, there are several ways to rescue your dish, including diluting it with water or broth, adding an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or vinegar, or bulking it out with extra vegetables, grains or dairy products.

Dilute with water or broth

Diluting a dish with water or broth is a common method to reduce saltiness. This technique works well for soups, stews, and sauces. It is important to add water or broth gradually, tasting as you go, to ensure that you do not dilute the dish too much and lose the desired flavour. This method may also dull other seasonings in your dish, so be sure to adjust the other seasonings once the salinity is correct.

If you are diluting a soup, you can also separate the solids from the broth by pouring the soup through a colander into a large bowl. Rinse the solids with cold water to wash away some of the salt, then adjust the broth by diluting it with water or unsalted broth. You can then put the solids back into the pot with the adjusted broth and heat until everything is well combined.

When diluting a dish, it is important to add something that will enhance the flavour and not just dilute the dish. For example, you can add unsalted broth, unsalted diced tomatoes, a splash of cream or wine, or a squeeze of lemon juice or mild vinegar.

Add acid to your dish

Adding acid to your dish is an essential step in cooking to brighten and round out the other flavours. Here are some tips and tricks to help you add acid to your dish:

Firstly, it is important to note that adding acid is not as simple as grabbing something tart and tossing it into your dish. You must consider the other flavours in your dish and choose an acid that will complement them. For example, rice wine vinegar works better than red wine vinegar to liven up a savoury, sauce-heavy stir-fry.

There are several acidic ingredients that can be used to enhance your dish:

• Citrus fruits: Lemons, oranges, and limes can be used to add a clean, fresh flavour to your dish. If using the zest, add it at the last minute.
• Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and champagne vinegar are all great options. Each type of vinegar has its own character and can add a unique flavour to your dish.
• Wine: Cooking wine can add acidity, but be sure to choose one that complements your dish.
• Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes or tomato paste can be used if you want to avoid adding moisture to your dish.
• Dairy: A splash of dairy can help to balance out salty flavours. Heavy cream, milk, sour cream, cream cheese, unsalted butter, yogurt, or non-dairy alternatives can be used.
• Sugar: Adding a pinch of sugar can help to balance out the acidity of a dish. Honey, maple syrup, or other sweeteners can also be used, but be careful not to add too much and turn your dish sweet.

When adding acid to your dish, consider the following:

• Timing: Add acidic ingredients at the right time during the cooking process. For example, when reducing liquids, add acid after the liquid has been reduced to avoid over-concentrating it.
• Taste: Taste your dish as you cook to adjust the flavours. A dish that tastes perfectly seasoned today may taste under-seasoned tomorrow, as foods absorb salt over time.
• Experiment: Don't be afraid to experiment with different acidic ingredients to find the perfect flavour combination for your dish.

Remember, adding acid to your dish is a great way to enhance the flavours and create a well-rounded, delicious meal.

Mask the flavour with fat

Fat is one of the best masking agents, notes Cozy Helm, vice president of R&D at Wixon Fontarome. "It also can accentuate some flavours, but it covers up a lot of things," she says. "When you pull fat out of a product, you start tasting other things that you never even knew were there."

The addition of fats can certainly help suppress off-notes. However, product designers should be aware that simply adding more fat is not always the answer. The addition of fat may disproportionately affect other flavours in the product.

Salted Paneer

Paneer is a fresh, uncured cheese used extensively in Indian cooking. It is made by curdling milk with a fruit- or vegetable-derived acid, such as lemon juice, and then draining and pressing the curds.

In East Indian cuisines, such as Bengali, Odia and Gujarati, the paneer is salted and hardened and then typically eaten in slices at teatime with biscuits or various types of bread, or deep-fried in a light batter or used in cooking.

Masking Flavours in Paneer

When making salted paneer, the flavour of the salt can be masked by the addition of fat. However, it is important to note that the addition of fat may also affect the flavour of the salt and other ingredients in the paneer.

It is also worth noting that the flavour of salt can be masked by the addition of sweetness. For example, salted caramel and salted chocolate are popular trends in confectionery.

Sprinkle in some sugar

When making paneer, it's important to remember that it's an unsalted cheese, so it must be salted when it's cooked. However, simply adding salt to the milk will not work, as it will be rinsed away when the curds are rinsed. Brining the paneer or adding salt after it is pressed will also not work, as this will make the paneer extremely tough.

Instead, the paneer will act as a sponge, absorbing seasoning and salt when simmered in a flavorful liquid or when marinated. Adding a pinch of sugar to the liquid is a common practice for balancing out the acidity of dishes like tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, and pad thai. This same principle works well for reducing the levels of salt in a dish. Start with a teaspoon of your sweetener of choice and slowly add more to taste. In addition to granulated sugar, you can use brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup.

Soak it up with starch

If you've added too much salt to your dish, don't panic! There are a few things you can do to fix it. One effective method is to add starchy ingredients like noodles, grains, or potatoes, which are great at soaking up excess salt. You can also try adding unpeeled raw potatoes to your dish. The potatoes will absorb some of the extra salt while releasing starch, which can help balance the flavour. However, this method may only have a mild effect, so if you're looking for a more noticeable reduction in saltiness, you may need to add a substantial amount of diced potatoes.

Another option is to dilute the dish with cold water, adding a little at a time until the desired salinity is reached. Keep in mind that diluting the dish may dull other seasonings, so be prepared to adjust the flavours accordingly.

If you're working with paneer specifically, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, if you're using store-bought paneer, check if it contains any additives like starch or citric acid, as these can affect the texture and taste. Secondly, the type of milk you use will impact the yield and texture of your paneer. Full-fat raw or pasteurised milk will give you the best results, while low-fat, skimmed, or ultra-pasteurised milk will yield less cheese and may affect the texture. Finally, when making paneer, it's important to add a sufficient amount of acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, to curdle the milk. However, adding too much acid can make the paneer grainy and rubbery, so start with a small amount and add more as needed.

Frequently asked questions