Skip Paneer, Try These 8 Lesser-Known Indian Cheeses

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 1. Chhena

It is a soft, moist Indian cheese with a tangy taste, made by curdling milk and widely used in many Indian desserts.

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 2. Kalari

Kalari is a traditional ripened cheese from Jammu, often called the ‘mozzarella of Jammu’, known for its stretchy texture and mild to tangy flavour depending on ageing.

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 3. Bandel

It is an artisanal cheese from West Bengal, made from cow’s milk and known for its smoky, flavourful taste.

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 4. Kalimpong

This Indian cheese is a semi-hard, Swiss-style mountain cheese from Kalimpong, loved for its mild, nutty flavour and versatility.

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 5. Qudam

It is a unique cheese made by the Gujjar tribes of Kashmir, known for its salty taste, rubbery texture, and use of cow’s or goat’s milk.

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 6. Chhurpi

This Indian cheese is a traditional Himalayan cheese made from yak or cow’s milk, available in soft and hard varieties. This cheese is quite high in protein.

Credits: Wikipedia/Krish Dulal

 7. Topli Na Paneer

It is an Indian cheese made by the Parsi community, with a soft, moist texture and mildly salty, milky flavour.

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 8. Khoya

It is a soft, fresh cheese-like Indian dairy product made by simmering milk and is commonly used in Indian sweets like gulab jamun and barfi.

Credits: Wikimedia Commons/ Miansari66

So, which of these Indian cheeses have you tried?

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