What is the difference between Paneer and Cottage Cheese?
To make cottage cheese , milk is coagulated at room temperature by adding Yogurt with live culture and Rennet. The live culture from yogurt coverts lactose to lactic acid changing the pH factor of milk. Rennet is an enzyme (Chymosin or Rennin) obtained from the stomach of young sheep or cow. The enzyme in the Rennet coagulates the milk at room temperature forming a gel which is cut into small or large curds. The cutting increases the amount of whey separated. The curds are cooked on a very low heat to separate more whey and harden the curds. Rennet is an enzyme harvested from animals. Majority of India is a vegetarian, therefore Cottage cheese is seldom used in India. Nowadays, microbial Rennet is being made for the vegetarian market. To make Paneer , the milk is heated to over 200 F, and an acid is added to coagulate milk. To make Paneer, lemon juice or vinegar are used as acids. The starting culture of yogurt is not used, as it dies at these high temperatures.
