Top 10 Most Popular Cheese Recipes in Asia (Updated)

Food holds significance in Asia like no other. It does not matter what country, religion, or culture you are from, food holds a vital role in our lives.  But it would be disrespectful to talk about food and not mention the star, Cheese. So, this time, the World’s #1 Source of Research-Based Content, The Daily Top 10, brings to you the Top 10 Most Popular Cheese Recipes in Asia (Updated). If you enjoy this, do check out other articles on our website like Top 10 Asia’s Best Carrot Cake Recipes You Should Try, Top 10 World’s Best Pancake Recipes You Should Try, and Top 10 Best & Most Popular Margarita Recipes to Make at Home.

You may have heard of or even tried interesting and delicious cheese dishes that are popular throughout the world. If you enjoyed those, this may very well be a sign for you to give these Asian variations a try! It is an undeniable fact that nobody does food like Asians, with their spices and exquisite flavor! 

The Daily Top 10 has carefully curated a list of the Top 10 Most Popular Cheese Recipes in Asia (Updated) that you can start going through in your kitchen today.

What is Asia’s Best Cheese Recipe You Should Try?

You will find yourself staring at a cheese dish on every menu no matter where you are in the world. This is irrespective of whether you are in a region famous for cheese-making or a remote area. There is a vast variety of cheese dishes available, and choosing the best one can be challenging. To help you find your favorite, we bring to you the Top 10 Most Popular Cheese Recipes in Asia (Updated).

We will of course save the best for last after we have gone through all the Popular Cheese Recipes in Asia.

TOP 10: Paneer Kulcha

Now this is a classic Indian dish, most famous for its serving in Amritsari style. For flatbread, people use all kinds of fillings. However, most commonly crumbled or grated paneer, chili peppers, coriander or mint leaves, garam masala spices, mango powder or chaat masala, carom seeds, and salt are used.

The dough for the kulcha is made up of flour, yogurt, oil or ghee, sugar, salt, water, and baking soda. It’s a dish best served hot, and is a winter favorite, baked in a tandoor oven! You can have this with curry, raita, or any sort of chutney. According to Vaya In, Paneer Kulcha has quite a few health benefits it has a significant amount of zinc, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It is a nutritious meal!

TOP 9: Paneer Makhni 

As stated in BBC Good Food, Paneer Makhni originates from Punjab. There are very few variations of this but the baseline ingredients used are paneer cheese and gravy. This gravy is made up of tomatoes, buttercream, cashews, chili, salt, turmeric, cloves, etc.

This recipe involves making the gravy first and then adding the paneer toward the end of the cooking process. The prepared dish has a buttery taste. Most importantly, paneer makhani goes well with jeera rice, paratha, or even plain rice.

TOP 8: Kuymak

Kuymak is a Turkish dish. According to the Daily Sabah, it originates from the area surrounding the Black Sea. It is prepared by mixing coarsely-ground cornmeal with aged local cheeses like Trabzon or kashar.

The mixture is heated until the cheese melts and becomes stringy. To enhance the flavor, butter or kaymak, a type of Turkish clotted cream, is added. Kuymak is usually eaten for breakfast and should be served warm and freshly made.

TOP 7: Chilli Cheese

Chilli cheese is a popular appetizer dish in Indo-Chinese cuisine. As mentioned in Karth Food Factory, this came into being by Nelson Wang. It is made by frying cubes of paneer cheese and then combining them with a sauce that has a mixture of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors.

The dish comes in three different variations – dry, semi-dry, and restaurant-style, which is served with gravy. The crowd’s favorite involves a dish where fried cheese is served in a sauce. To prepare this, pieces of paneer are coated with a mixture of cornstarch, flour, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, salt, and black pepper, and then fried.

TOP 6: Paneer Tikka

We have all had chicken tikkas but have you heard of paneer tikkas? This version of the North Indian recipe plays with marinated paneer cheese and vegetables cooked in a traditional Indian oven called a tandoor. As mentioned in The Great British Chefs, paneer, tomatoes, onions, and peppers are put on skewers, grilled, and then flavored with a blend of lemon juice and chaat masala,  a spicy powder.

You can have this main dish with salads. Mint chutney may also be served with the dish. Other versions of this dish include paneer tikka masala, which is served with a spicy sauce, and paneer tikka rolls, which are wrapped in Indian bread.

TOP 5: Royal Paneer

According to the Times of India, royal paneer, also known as shahi paneer, can be traced back to Persian and Afghan rulers back in the 16^th century. The dish itself is very rich in taste. It consists of a curry that has cheese in it along with onions, spicy tomato cream sauce, and almond paste. You can have this dish with fried puri, naan, or plain roti bread.

Shahi paneer is a dish that is commonly prepared during special events and celebrations as a vegetarian main course. It is known for being rich, filling, and healthy. After the dish is prepared, coriander leaves are commonly used to garnish it.

TOP 4: Saag Paneer

Saag paneer is a popular vegetable curry dish that consists of diced paneer cheese covered in a creamy mixture of fresh leafy greens called saag. The saag mixture is typically made using mustard, fenugreek, spinach, bathua, or collard greens, which are mashed and combined with tomatoes and a flavorful spice blend. This dish originated in the Punjabi region of India, and the paneer version is just one of the many variations that use this aromatic curry base.

Health Site stated that there are multiple reasons to eat this dish including its nutritional value. It helps in digestion and is a great food for those on a diet. In addition, it is a healthy choice for pregnant women too as spinach provides a lot of vitamin A.

TOP 3: Mattar Paneer

Ever heard of this one? Peas and cheese? According to Taste Atlas, this originated in Northern India. It’s made with peas and paneer cheese in a yummy tomato sauce that’s spiced with garam masala. As a real treat for your taste buds, this dish is particularly special to people in Punjab, but it’s loved all over India. It’s typically served with rice and some delicious flatbreads like naan, kulcha, roti, or paratha.

There are all sorts of variations of this dish too. Sometimes people add corn, yogurt, or cream to thicken it up even more. And it’s usually finished off with some freshly chopped coriander and mint leaves on top for a refreshing burst of flavor.

TOP 2: Kadai Paneer

You may have heard of chicken kadai, but have you tried kadai paneer? It’s a mix of paneer cheese and bell peppers cooked with a special blend of spices called “kadai masala”.  According to Indian Healthy Recipes, you can have it in two ways – either with gravy or a little bit dry.

The special blend of kadai masala contains spices like red chili peppers, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, and coriander seeds. To make it even tastier, onions, ginger, and tomatoes are added for a thick gravy. Be sure to let it sit a bit, so the flavors can combine well.

TOP 1: Palak Paneer

Palak paneer is yet another vegetarian dish that is highly loved by Asians. It wouldn’t be going too far to say that this might be an all-time favorite, amongst both kids and adults. The dish is made with cheese and spinach (English for palak). They are added in a delicious sauce made of pureed spinach, tomatoes, garlic, and lots of tasty spices.

Like other dishes, there are many variations of palak paneer too. 196 Flavors stated that palak paneer originated from the traditional North Indian dish saag paneer and has also become popular in Pakistan. With over 30% of the Indian subcontinent being vegetarian, both palak and saag paneer have become essential dishes in both traditional and modern cooking. So, Palak Paneer is Asia’s Best Cheese Recepe You Should Try.

What are the Best Cheese Recipes in Asia that You Should Try?

While cheese may not be traditionally associated with Asian cuisine, there are a growing number of cheese lovers in Asia. Another reason for the growing popularity of cheese in Asia could be the versatility of the ingredient. Cheese can be used in a variety of ways, from being melted and poured over dishes to being crumbled and used as a topping. This flexibility makes it an ideal ingredient for Asian chefs who are looking to experiment with different flavors and textures.

Here is the list of the Top 10 Most Popular Cheese Recipes in Asia (Updated):

1. Palak Paneer
2. Kadai Paneer
3. Mattar Paneer
4. Saag Paneer
5. Royal Paneer
6. Paneer Tikka
7. Chilli Cheese
8. Kuymak
9. Paneer Makhni
10. Paneer Kulcha

Cheese is seen as a luxurious and indulgent ingredient, which can appeal to people who are looking for a special treat or something to make their meals feel more decadent. However, our goal was to bring to you yummy recipes of treats you can try at home. If you liked this, be sure to browse more on The Daily Top 10. We have other articles that may catch your eye such as Reasons Why We Celebrate National Frozen Yogurt Day, Top 10 Best Carrot Cake Recipes in the World, and Top 10 World’s Best Pancake Recipes You Should Try.