In Malaysia, tofu is often preferred over Indian cottage cheese, but in India, paneer (homemade Indian cheese) is a staple ingredient. While tofu is made from soybeans and paneer from milk, both are protein sources for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Paneer is indeed an alternative to tofu and is now widely available in Indian grocery stores as ready-made cheese.
Feel free to substitute tofu for Indian cottage cheese. However, the classic Spinach Cheese dish, known as Palak Paneer, is a comforting home-style dish that combines paneer and spinach into a creamy, satisfying recipe (SPINACH COCONUT MILK CURRY VEGETARIAN).