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Achari Paneer Recipe | How To Make The Best Achari Paneer
+If you like Indian pickles or achar, you will love our achari paneer recipe restaurant style.
Achari paneer is a delicious dish of soft paneer cubes in a smooth tangy gravy made with pickling spices that are typically used for making achars or pickles in India.
As the name suggests, achari dishes (achaar or achar means pickle in Hindi) like this achari paneer recipe are made with the same spices used to make Indian pickles. Achari dishes like achari chicken, achari gosht, and achari paneer are commonly featured in North Indian, and more specifically Punjabi, restaurant menus.
Picking spices—fennel seeds (saunf), fenugreek seeds (methi dana), nigella seeds (kalonji), cumin seeds (jeera), and mustard seeds (rai or sarson)—add a wonderful tangy, sour, and spicy punch to achari paneer. The tanginess is enhanced by the use of dry mango or amchur powder and yogurt as souring agents.
The taste and flavour profile of our easy achari paneer recipe is very different from those of typical North Indian paneer gravies like paneer makhana, matar paneer, paneer butter masala, and kadai paneer which are based on an onion–tomato gravy.
In achari paneer, the gravy is made of pickling spices (achar masala), which impart a unique taste to the dish. The gravy is mildly hot and spicy, hearty and robust, tart and tangy, intensely flavourful, and utterly delicious.
Follow our achari paneer recipe step by step to make the best achari paneer recipe at home with commonly found ingredients in your kitchen.
Our quick and easy restaurant-style paneer achari recipe shows you how to make achari paneer at home and satisfy the paneer cravings of all paneer lovers.
Tips on how to make Achari Paneer:
For best results, use homemade paneer, which is typically fresh and soft. If you use store-bought paneer, make sure it is fresh and soft. If using frozen paneer cubes, soak them in warm water to soften before using.
Use fresh yogurt, curd, or dahi that is at room temperature. Whisk well before adding it to the pan, reduce the heat and stir vigorously to preventing the yogurt from curdling in the achari paneer gravy.
Follow the achari paneer recipe carefully when adding the pickling spices, particularly fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Do not add more than the amount given in the recipe or you could end up with a bitter-tasting gravy.
For the proper achari flavour, make sure to use mustard oil. At a pinch, you can also use rice bran oil, sunflower oil, or ghee.
If using mustard oil, heat it on medium heat and allow it to smoke before adding the spices and aromatics. Once it smokes, turn off the heat and let the oil cool down. This helps to reduce the pungent taste of mustard oil. Thereafter, turn the heat back to medium and proceed with the recipe.
For any other oil or ghee, just lightly heat it.
You can add a dollop of fresh cream for a richer and smoother achari paneer curry.
Do not overcook achari paneer or leave it on the stove for too long, as it will make the paneer hard.
Garnish paneer achari with chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta) and chopped mint leaves (pudina patta).
Achari paneer goes very well with any Indian bread like phulka, chapati, tandoori roti, naan (plain or garlic), paratha (plain or lachcha), and missi roti. Plain basmati rice, jeera rice, ghee rice, or vegetable pulao also taste great with achari paneer.
For a weekend meal, serve achari paneer along with your favourite dal, boondi raita, and a salad.
Paneer achari with a thick gravy makes a delicious filling for a wrap.
Achari paneer can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for two days. When ready to reheat, remove the dish from the fridge, add ¼ cup water, mix everything, and cook in a pan on the stove for 5 minutes
Achari Paneer is a flavourful and healthy dish that is high in protein. Learn how to make the best Achari Paneer at home in your kitchen with all ingredients & cooking method Achari Paneer recipe video from Yummefy Recipes.
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How to Make Paneer at HomeOr see all our Paneer Recipes right here!
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RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 1⁄2 teaspoons red chilli powder, divided use
1 1⁄2 teaspoons turmeric powder (haldi), divided use
400 grams paneer, cut into 1 to 1½-inch cubes
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3 1⁄2 tablespoons mustard oil
1 1⁄4 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 1⁄2 teaspoons cumin seeds (jeera)
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
3 teaspoons fennel seeds (saunf)
3⁄4 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
5 green chillies, deseeded and chopped
250 grams onions, (about 2½ medium onions), chopped
3⁄4 teaspoon garlic paste
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ginger paste
240 ml yogurt, about 1 cup, lightly beaten
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons amchur (dried mango powder)
270 grams green bell pepper (capsicum), about 2 capsicum, cut into 1½-inch squares
3 green chillies, deseeded and cut in ½ length wise
COOKING METHOD
- Mix ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and 3 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Tip in paneer cubes and gently mix or fold till the paneer is nicely coated with the spice water. Be careful not to break the paneer cubes. Set aside.
- Pour oil into a heavy kadhai or wok placed over high heat. Once the oil is hot, toss in mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds (methi dana), fennel seeds (saunf), and nigella seeds (kalonji). Stir till aromatic, about 1 minute. Add green chillies and chopped onion, reduce heat to medium, and sauté till golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add garlic paste and ginger paste and give it all a good stir. Toss in 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and continue stirring for another minute. Reduce heat to low and pour in the yogurt. Stir vigorously so that the yogurt does not curdle. Add salt and continue to stir till well mixed.
- Toss in garam masala powder and dried mango powder (amchur), and cook, stirring continuously, for another 2 minutes. Slide in capsicum (green bell pepper) pieces and give it all a good stir, about 1 minute.
- Gently place paneer cubes in the kadhai by hand, spreading them in a single layer if possible. Carefully mix the paneer, gently moving a wooden spatula from the outside edges to the center of the kadhai, till the paneer is coated with the masala. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for about 3 minutes. Uncover and toss in green chillies, mix gently, allowing the achari paneer to cook for an additional minute.
- Remove from heat and serve hot.
Serves: 4 as part of a larger meal
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
HIDE RECIPE - Mix ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and 3 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Tip in paneer cubes and gently mix or fold till the paneer is nicely coated with the spice water. Be careful not to break the paneer cubes. Set aside.
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Tags:achari paneer, achari paneer recipe, achari paneer recipe restaurant style
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