Achari Paneer Recipe
Paneer Achari embodies a dual nature of creaminess and robust flavor, showcasing cottage cheese immersed in the piquant essence of achari masala, an amalgamation of pickling spices. If your affection for pickles knows no bounds, this achari paneer is certain to captivate your palate.
Ingredients
Pickling Spices
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
Other Ingredients
- 200 to 250 grams Paneer chopped in cubes or squares (cottage cheese)
- 1 cup fresh whole milk curd (yogurt) or 240 grams curd
- 1.5 teaspoon ginger-green chili paste or ½ inch ginger + 1 or 2 green chilies
- 2 dry red chilies
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 1 medium tomato chopped, about ⅓ cup tightly packed chopped tomatoes, 75 to 80 grams of tomatoes
- 10 to 12 cashews or 2 tablespoon cashews or 2 tablespoon cashew powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper or paprika
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder – optional
- 1 or 2 teaspoon mango pickle masala (optional)
- 1 to 1.5 tablespoon besan (gram flour)
- ½ teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 3 tablespoon light cream or low fat cream or 1 to 2 tbsp whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon mustard oil or sunflower oil or ghee
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
- 1 teaspoon chopped mint leaves
- salt as required
Instructions
Roasting Pickling Spices
- First take the achari or pickling spices in a pan – fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds.
- Heat the pan and on a low flame roast the spices till they are fragrant. Don’t brown them.
- Once cooled, add the spices in a small dry grinder or spice grinder and grind to a semi fine powder.
- Remove the achari masala powder and keep aside in a bowl.
Making Masala Base
- In the same grinder, add 10 to 12 cashews.
- Grind to a fine powder. If oil releases while grinding then its fine.
- In a bowl, take fresh whole milk curd/yogurt and whisk it till smooth. Use fresh curd and not sour curd.
- Heat mustard oil or sunflower oil or ghee in a pan.
- On a low flame, add 2 dry red chilies and a generous pinch of asafoetida. Saute for some seconds till the red chilies change color.
- Then add ginger-green chili paste. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and stir.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder (optional).
- Again stir very well and saute the tomatoes till the tomatoes soften completely and become pulpy. You should also see oil releasing from the sides.
- Now add the cashew powder. If using store brough cashew powder, then add 2 tablespoons cashew powder. Do check the shelf life of store brought cashew powder before adding.
- On a low to medium flame, stir and saute the mixture for 2 minutes after adding cashew powder.
- Reserve 1 teaspoon of the ground achari masala and add the rest. Stir very well.
- Add 1 tablespoon besan. We are adding besan so that the curd does not curdle. You can swap besan (gram flour) with chickpea flour.
- Stir the besan very well and incorporate it into the rest of the masala.
Making Paneer Achari Gravy
- Keep the flame on a low and add the beaten curd.
- As soon as you add the curd, begin to stir the mixture quickly and fast. Stirring quickly, incorporate the curd well into the rest of the masala.
- Add salt as per taste.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.
- Add the paneer cubes. 200 or 250 grams paneer chopped in cubes.
- Cook the paneer cubes for about 20 to 30 seconds and switch off the heat. Don't cook for more time as then paneer cubes may lose their softness and will become hard.
- Then add light cream or low fat cream. Also add crushed kasuri methi to the gravy. Gently stir very well.
- Switch off the flame and add chopped coriander leaves and chopped mint leave. Stir gently again.
- While serving sprinkle the reserved achari masala from top and garnish with a coriander or mint sprig. Serve achari paneer masala with tandoori roti, chapati, rumali roti, plain paratha or naan.
Nutrition
Calories: 321kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 11gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 258mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 589IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 344mgIron: 2mg
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