Paneer was nothing but a 'cheap filler' we siblings used to complain to mom, asking for meat instead. Like all things we didn't like, we ganged up against her, protesting to not eat it, leaving her with little option but to cook us what we liked. That's the power of having 3 siblings. I used it. Paneer vanished from our lives.
Knowing M and his family's love for paneer I prepared my self to mentally gulp down paneer after marriage. Then the day came. Everyone at home demanded to eat my mother in law's paneer roll, which made my mother in law quite happy. "Easiest thing to make! Let me teach you how to make it" she said. I followed her to the kitchen, wishing all along a change in plan. While she fried her paneer to beautiful golden brown she told me about their humble starting as a family. "Meat was not always an option and paneer was my go to healthy 'filler' for the children and they loved it" she smiled with pride.