Good paneer goes wrong at the pan, not at the dairy. Nearly every complaint we hear — squeaky, tough, chewy — comes down to how it was cooked rather than how it was made. Three habits fix almost all of it.

Do not fry it hard

High heat squeezes moisture out and tightens the protein. If you want colour, use a moderate flame and take the cubes off as soon as they turn gold at the edges.

Soak it before it goes in

Fifteen minutes in warm — not boiling — lightly salted water before cooking keeps the centre soft. Drain it just before it hits the pan.

Add it at the end

Build and finish the gravy first, then fold the paneer in and give it two minutes. Simmering paneer through a whole curry is what makes it squeak.

Fresh paneer helps too, of course. Ours is set each morning and keeps five days refrigerated.