achari paneer

Achari paneer recipe with step by step photos – paneer achari is a creamy as well as robust flavored cottage cheese curry with pickling spices or achari masala.

Paneer gravies are often made at home. I experiment and try making various gravies for paneer. I had experimented with achari paneer a couple of time before, but the results were not that great. I again tried making achari paneer some days back and this time the result was too good. So made it again and clicked the pics.

This is a really good paneer achari recipe. The robustness of the pickling spices or achari masala makes its presence felt without getting overpowered. The light sourness of the fresh curd complements the flavors of the spices. The taste of achari paneer is similar to that of Achari paneer tikka, but what you get is soft paneer pieces in a smooth creamy gravy.

If you are fond of pickles, you will like achari paneer. the recipe is also a no onion no garlic version. If you want, you can add onions and garlic.

Achari paneer is best served with tandoori chapatis, parathas or naan. Accompany a side veggie salad by the side.

How to make achari paneer

Roasting pickling spices

1. First take the achari or pickling spices in a pan. The five pickling spices in clockwise order are – 1 tsp fennel seeds, ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana), ½ tsp nigella seeds (kalonji), 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp mustard seeds.

2. Heat the pan and on a low flame roast the spices till they are fragrant. Don’t brown them.

3. Once cooled, add the spices in a small dry grinder or spice grinder.

4. Grind to a semi-fine powder.

5. remove the achari masala powder and keep aside in a bowl.

6. In the same grinder, add 10 to 12 cashews.

7. Grind to a fine powder. If some fat releases while grinding then its fine.

8. In a bowl, take 1 cup fresh whole milk curd/yogurt and whisk it till smooth. Use fresh curd and not sour curd.

Making achari paneer

9. Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil or sunflower oil or ghee in a pan. If using mustard oil, then allow it to smoke before you add the spices. For any other oil or ghee just lightly heat it. Then lower the flame and add 2 dry red chilies and a generous pinch of asafoetida.

10. Saute for some seconds till the red chilies change color.

11. Then add 1.5 tsp ginger-green chili paste – about ½ inch ginger + 1 or 2 green chilies crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle.

12. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.

13. Then add ⅓ cup tightly packed chopped tomatoes.

14. Stir and add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp coriander powder (ground coriander) and ¼ tsp cumin powder (optional).

15. 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.

16. Now add the cashew powder. If using store brought cashew powder, then add 2 tbsp cashew powder. Do check the shelf life of the store brought cashew powder before adding.

17. On a low to medium flame, stir and saute the mixture for 2 minutes after adding cashew powder.

18. Reserve 1 tsp of the ground achari masala and add the rest.

19. Stir very well. At this stage, you can also add masala of a mango pickle. Just take about 1 to 2 tsp of the masala from the mango pickle and add it.

20. Add 1 tbsp besan (gram flour). We are adding besan so that the curd does not curdle. You can also add 1.5 tbsp of besan.

21. Stir the besan very well and incorporate it into the rest of the masala.

Making paneer achari gravy

22. Keep the flame on a low and add the beaten curd.

23. As soon as you add the curd, begin to stir the mixture quickly and fast.

24. Stirring quickly, incorporate the curd well into the rest of the masala.

25. Add salt as per taste.

26. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.

27. Add the paneer cubes. 200 or 250 grams paneer chopped in cubes.

28. Cook the paneer cubes for about 1 to 2 minutes.

29. Then add 3 tbsp low-fat fresh cream and ½ tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), which has been crushed in the paneer achari gravy.

30. Stir very well.

31. Switch off the flame and add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and 1 tsp chopped mint leaves. Stir.

32. While serving sprinkle the reserved achari masala from the top and garnish with a coriander or mint sprig. Serve achari paneer with tandoori roti, chapati or naan or paratha.

More Paneer recipes

• Palak paneer
• Matar paneer
• Shahi paneer
• Paneer tikka masala
• Paneer butter masala.

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Achari Paneer

4.75 from 44 votes

By Dassana Amit

Paneer achari is a creamy as well as robust flavored cottage cheese curry with achari masala or pickling spices.

Save Pin Print

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

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Cuisine North Indian

Course: Main Course

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Servings 4

Units

Ingredients

pickling spices for paneer achari

• ▢ 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon methi dana (fenugreek seeds)

other ingredients for paneer achari

• ▢ 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 1/3 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
• ▢ ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cumin powder - optional
• ▢ 1 or 2 teaspoon of mango pickle masala (optional)
• ▢ 1 to 1.5 tablespoon besan (gram flour)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• ▢ 3 tablespoon low fat cream
• ▢ 2 tablespoon rice bran oil or sunflower oil or mustard 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 - 1 tsp fennel seeds/saunf, 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera, 1 tsp mustard seeds/rai or sarson, 1/2 tsp nigella seeds/kalonji and 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds/methi dana.
• 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 for achari paneer

• 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 1 cup fresh whole milk curd/yogurt and whisk it till smooth. Use fresh curd and not sour curd.
• Heat 2 tbsp 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 1.5 tsp ginger-green chili paste - about 1/2 inch ginger + 1 or 2 green chilies crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
• Then add 1/3 cup tightly packed chopped tomatoes.
• Stir and add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder and 1/4 tsp 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 tbsp 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 tsp of the ground achari masala and add the rest. Stir very well.
• Add 1 tbsp besan. We are adding besan so that the curd does not curdle.
• 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 1 to 2 minutes.
• Then add 3 tbsp low fat fresh cream and 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, which has been crushed in the paneer achari gravy. Stir very well.
• Switch off the flame and add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and 1 tsp chopped mint leave & stir again.
• While serving sprinkle the reserved achari masala from top and garnish with a coriander or mint sprig. Serve achari paneer masala with tandoori rotis, chapatis or naan.

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