Happy And Gai Paneer Review – Fresh Paneer Delivered

Paneer or cottage cheese is a staple in most Indian homes, especially if you’re a vegetarian. Paneer can be sourced from three major places for domestic use – a branded packaged block of paneer, local dairy or homemade. 

Some people avoid packaged paneer because it isn’t as soft and the fact that dairy-bought paneer doesn’t guarantee purity consistently is a major issue. So what to do?

As a part of our series Curated by Mishry, we picked a new paneer brand. Happy & Gai is a fairly new brand that delivers throughout Delhi NCR. We ordered three varieties of paneer from Happy & Gai – Sundried tomato and rosemary paneer, Dhaniya mirchi paneer and Plain paneer. Here is what we liked and what we didn’t.

Here is all that you need to know about Happy & Gai’s founder, the brand’s journey, products offered and operation.

Founder

Happy & Gai was founded by Nitika Kapur in 2020.

Happy & Gai’s Journey

In the words of the brand “Happy & Gai is a young dairy brand started in the year 2020, presenting the modern eating habits of new-age India. Dairy has been associated with basics in India- milk, yoghurt, paneer. With barely any innovation done to change the base product or the perception of its taste.

At Happy & Gai, our special team with their innovative skills have worked on the basics and have uplifted the simplicity of our own desi cheese while keeping the authenticity of the process intact to meet the standards and palettes of its users. After doing an in-depth research we found a huge gap in the Indian dairy industry and the innovation ever done with paneer. We wanted to try something new by infusing flavours and making it a global cheese by Indian and international cultures. It’s a huge task and the work is in progress.”

Brand Mission & Vision

‘Happy & Gai reinvents your neighborhood dairy and traditional cheese making. We produce absolutely fresh & premium quality Artisanal Paneer in flavours, cream cheese & other healthy cheeses. We produce cheese with pure milk and no chemicals.’

Products Covered

Happy & Gai offers different types of flavored paneer like – 

• Plain paneer
• Lemon pepper paneer
• Dhaniya mirchi paneer
• Roast garlic and chilli paneer
• Sundried tomato and rosemary paneer

They also offer other cheeses like – 

• Cream cheese
• Ricotta cheese

Operation

Happy & Gai currently delivers in Delhi and NCR only.

Here are a few details of our order, the amount we paid, storage instructions and packaging.

What we ordered?

We ordered three variants of paneer (250 gms each) from Happy & Gai. 

• Plain Paneer
• Dhaniya Mirchi Paneer
• Sundried Tomato and Rosemary Paneer

How much did we pay for it?

We paid Rs 530/- in total via GPay. The price break-up is as follows – 

• Plain Paneer – Rs 150/-
• Dhaniya Mirchi Paneer – Rs 150/-
• Sundried Tomato and Rosemary Paneer – Rs 150/-
• Delivery charges – Rs 80/-

Instructions for storage – It is advised to consume the paneer within 3-4 days. The leftover raw paneer should be stored in a closed container and dipped in water. This is to be kept in the refrigerator.

Packaging – The Happy & Gai paneer arrived in a single plastic container. All the different variants of paneer are packed separately in a sheet of paper and placed inside the box.

1. Plain Paneer

To test our plain paneer we divided our testing phase into three broad categories. 

• Dry inspection – The dry inspection includes gauging the freshness, aroma and softness of the paneer. Is it soft or hard? Does it have a fresh milky aroma or does it have a sour, stale smell? 
• Raw tasting – This was further divided into two stages – First, we cut a few cubes of paneer and consumed them as is. Seindly, we microwaved some cubes of paneer for 40-50 seconds and consumed it hot.
• Cooking of the paneer – Most Indian homes use paneer to make a sabzi out of it. Paneer tends to change the texture post-cooking, which is why testing it in a stir fry/sabzi was important. We made a quick pepper and paneer schezwan stir fry with the Happy & Gai Plain Paneer.

Our block of plain paneer smelled very fresh and milky. There is no sour aroma or slimy layer on top. It remained fresh after a whole day as well, when stored as per the recommended method.

Very often paneer has a sour aroma and taste due to the vinegar or lemon juice used during the curdling process. Thankfully, this had no sour or any unnatural taste.

When we sliced into the paneer, it had a very creamy feel and had a certain milky greasiness (चिकनाहट). It’s not dry or crumbly. 

The paneer cooks well and remains soft. Even after cooking the paneer, it did not become rubbery or hard. The rich creaminess of this block of paneer is undeniable.

2. Dhaniya Mirchi Paneer

We tested our block of dhaniya mirchi paneer using the above mentioned process. It only included the first two stages – Dry inspection and raw tasting. We did not cook this paneer. 

We could see a lot of green specs of green chilli and coriander.

Delish! From the fresh tasting green chilli kick, to the herby coriander and milky paneer, we loved it all. This was a favorite amongst our review team. This is a great mid-meal snack when you are in need of something healthy, but packed with a lot of flavor. You can also add this to your green chutney sandwiches for a wholesome bite.

3. Sundried Tomato And Rosemary Herbs Paneer

Our testing stages for this paneer variant are the same as dhaniya mirch paneer. We did not cook this.

We could see a lot of specs of fresh herbs and deep red bits of sundried tomatoes.

The herby, slightly woody flavor of rosemary is extremely pronounced in this one. There are a few bits of sundried tomatoes, which taste delicious. This is a fresh tasting paneer with a soft texture. 

This can be used as a cocktail snack with some marinated olives or even grilled and served with steamed vegetables and a portion of garlic bread. For those looking for a mix of Italian flavors in our desi paneer, this is the pick for you.

Email id – yoursupport@happyandgai.com

Contact Number – +91 9810120144

Website –http://www.happyandgai.com/

Social Media Links – Facebook | Instagram

Here are some interesting FAQs on Happy & Gai.

Is the paneer by Happy & Gai gluten free? 

Yes. The paneer by Happy & Gai is gluten free.

What is the price of 1 kg plain paneer? 

The plain paneer by Happy & Gai is priced at Rs 450/- per kilo. All other flavored paneers are priced at Rs 500/- per kilo.

Is cash on delivery an option?

When we ordered the paneer, cash on delivery was not an option. You can pay through Paytm or Gpay. Do ask about payment options at the time of placing the order.

What are the available sizes of paneer we can order?

The paneer is available in three sizes – 250 gms, 500 gms (½ kilo) and 1 kilogram.

Fresh, soft and creamy!

The fresh, milky flavor of the paneer is spot on in all the variants. There is no sour aftertaste and neither is the paneer dry, crumbly or hard. The herby coriander and green chilli paneer is perfect for the people who are inclined toward classic, desi flavors. For those willing to experiment, the sundried tomato and rosemary paneer is a great choice.

If you are looking to order small batches of plain or flavored paneer, free of any preservatives, Happy & Gai Paneer delivers across Delhi and NCR.

* If you do agree with our review, please give it a thumbs up! And, tell us which one is your favorite from this list. If you don’t, please tell us why!

* Food & Beverage is a constantly evolving segment with new products launched daily. Our endeavor here is to help shoppers buy better. If there’s a product you would like us to review tell us by clicking here.

* Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.

* No part of this review is sponsored by any brand. All expenses were borne by us.