Analogue paneer is a dairy product that mimics traditional paneer in texture and appearance.
However, it is not made with milk components, but with plant proteins and vegetable oils.
Recently, many states - Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh - banned them.
Although analogue paneer isn't unsafe, its nutritional profile differs from traditional paneer.
Under the Food Safety Standards Authority of India, non-dairy analogue production is permitted. However, they should be labelled correctly, which many restaurants and producers weren't doing.
You can't identify analogue paneer by appearance alone. However, a few tests can check paneer's quality.
Real paneer becomes spongy upon boiling in water, while the analogue version becomes chewy and stretchable.
Real paneer becomes spongy upon boiling in water, while the analogue version becomes chewy and stretchable.
Real paneer crumbles easily if you try to mash it between your fingers, while analogue sticks together.
Analogue paneer looks perfectly white and uniform in colour, while the real one has an off-white, yellowish cream tint.
While shopping, check the label to see words like 'plant-based cube,' 'dairy blend,' 'veg treat' or 'analogue product.' If so, it is analogue paneer.
Analogue paneer labels also mention palm oil, starch, emulsifiers, vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats as ingredients.