Usually, paneer needn’t be cooked for a long time to absorb all the flavors in it. As they are curdled with lemon juice, they will not melt like cheese. So you can just add the cubed paneer to the gravies as it is or you can pan fry the paneer or fry the paneer in the oil until it turns golden brown and then use it in gravies. Here the paneer will be crisp outside and soft inside. You can also add the fried paneer to the hot water to maintain the softness in it. Last but not least, paneer can also be marinated and added to the gravy.