The key difference between khoya and paneer is that khoya is evaporated milk solids, whereas paneer is cheese.
Khoya and paneer are two milk products famous in Asian countries, especially in India. These are used in making various dishes. Khoya and paneer can be either made at home or bought from the market.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Khoya
3. What is Paneer
4. Khoya vs Paneer in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Khoya vs Paneer
What is Khoya?
Khoya is dried evaporated milk solids. This is also known as khoa or mawa. It originated in the Indian subcontinent, and it is widely popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. Khoya is used in making both sweet and savoury dishes, even curries in those countries.
Khoya is made from concentrated whole milk and has a soft grainy texture with a rich nutty flavour. It is available in markets but can be made at home as well. It is made by slowly simmering milk in a large iron Kadai. Simmering is done till the moisture disappears and milk turns solids. Since homemade khoya is free from additives or preservatives, it is always better than those available in the market. Homemade khoya can be stored in the refrigerator ( 3-4 days) or the freezer (6-8 days).
Types of Khoya
(According to the Moisture Level)
- Danedar – grainy and crumbly variety. Used in making sweets. Commonly used variety
- Chikna – has 50% moisture. Very smooth. Used in making gulab jamun
- Batti – has 20% moisture. Hardest of all the variety. Usually grated and used in making sweets
Qualities of a Good Khoya
- No sour smell
- Pale white
- Firm
- No discolouration
- No fungal growth
What is Paneer?
Paneer is an Indian cheese. It is also known as Indian cottage cheese or Ponir. Paneer is soft, and it doesn’t melt. It has a mild, milky flavour. It is believed that this originated in the 16th century in Southeast Asia by Afghan and Persian rulers.
Paneer can be made at home. It is simply made from curdled milk and fruit or lemon acid, like lemon juice. Paneer is made by boiling 8 cups of whole milk in medium heat. Then lemon juice is added. This will then turn to curd. After taking it from the heat, it is poured into a colander covered with cheesecloth and rinsed with cold water. Next, the contents in the cheesecloth are squeezed to remove the excess water. After that, it should be refrigerated for 20 minutes. However, panner can be stored only for 2-3 days in the refrigerator since it loses its freshness.
Paneer is available in the market in different brands as well. It can be eaten as a snack or with meals.
Paneer Dishes
- Paneer Tikka Masala
- Paneer Butter Masala
- Kadai Paneer
- Dum Paneer
Substitutes for Paneer
- Cottage Cheese
- Mexican Quesco Blanco
- Mild Feta Cheese
- Extra Firm Tofu
What is the Difference Between Khoya and Paneer?
The key difference between khoya and paneer is that khoya is evaporated milk solids while paneer is cheese. While khoya has a rich, nutty flavour, paneer has a mild, milky flavour.
The below infographic lists the differences between khoya and paneer in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Khoya vs Paneer
Khoya is dried evaporated milk solids that are famous in countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. It has a soft grainy texture and rich nutty flavour. Khoya is made by evaporating the moisture in milk and turning it into solids. It can be kept for about a week in the freezer without its freshness getting destroyed. Paneer, on the other hand, is an Indian cheese. It has a mild, milky flavour. It is made by boiling milk in medium heat. Paneer cannot be stored for a long period even if it is refrigerated. Thus, this is the summary of the difference between khoya and paneer.
Reference:
1. “Khoa.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Nov. 2021.
2. “Paneer.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Nov. 2021.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Khoya” By Miansari66 – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Homemade Paneer cut into pieces for cooking Cheese Fromage India” By Ian Brown – Flickr: Homemade Paneer (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia