Achari Paneer, which basically translates to marinated cottage cheese is a delicious North Indian dish where soft chunks of paneer are served in a creamy masala sauce enhanced with pickle spices and tangy curd. Here, I show you how to make this delicious Punjabi recipe.
Over my many years as a cook, I have tried many achari paneer recipes that were quite disappointing. This recipe is the culmination of many years of experimentation, and the results were too good for me to share!
The robust flavour of the pickling spices is pronounced without being overpowering, and the tartness of the fresh curd complements the spices perfectly. If you love pickles, you'll love achari paneer!
By the way, if you are new to Indian cooking, the word 'achar' refers to pickles and 'paneer' is of course the fresh, non-melting cottage cheese popular all over India.
I also love that this recipe is made without onions and garlic. This spicy paneer sauce recipe was made for you. That said, if you are a fan of onions and garlic, you can definitely add them.
In my opinion, Achari Paneer Sauce is best served with tandoori roti, paratha or Naan, but you can definitely choose to serve it with rice, steamed vegetables or a side salad if you have gluten intolerance.
Friends, this is a very good achari paneer recipe. The taste is similar to dry and roasted Achari Paneer Tikka, but you get soft paneer pieces in a creamy and luxurious gravy.
If you're looking for a new way to prepare your paneer, stop scrolling and get cooking!
3 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
2 whole Kashmiri red chillies
2 teaspoon salt
1 ½ tablespoon ghee
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 green chilies chopped
400 grams paneer cut into cubes
1 tomato, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
2 tablespoons of ghee
1 onion, chopped
1 piece (2.5 cm) of grated ginger mixed with 2 cloves of garlic and 1 green chilli all mixed into a paste
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala
250 grams of tomato puree
200 grams of natural yogurt
1 teaspoon kasuri methi leaves
How to make Achari Paneer
1. First put the achari of 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana), ½ teaspoon of nigella seeds (kalonji), 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds in a pan.
2. Heat the pan over low heat and toast the spices until they are just fragrant. Do not brown or burn them.
3. Once cooled, add the spices to a small spice grinder. (You can also use a mortar and pestle if you don't have a spice grinder.)
4. Grind into semi-fine powder.
5. Remove the achari masala powder and set aside for later.
6. In the same grinder, add 10 to 12 cashew nuts.
7. Grind into a fine powder. Don't worry if some fat is removed during the grinding process; this is natural.
8. In a bowl, take 1 cup of fresh full fat curd/yogurt and whisk it until smooth. Use fresh curd and not sour curd.
9. Heat 2 tablespoons of mustard oil or sunflower oil or ghee in a pan.If you are using mustard oil, let it smoke before adding the spices. For any other oil or ghee, simply heat it until it shimmers in the pan. Then lower the heat and add 2 dried red chillies and a generous pinch of asafoetida.
10. Sauté for a few seconds until the red peppers change color.
11. Then add 1.5 teaspoons of ginger green chilli paste (about 1 inch ginger + 1-2 green chillies crushed into a paste in a mortar and pestle).
12. Stir and sauté until the raw ginger aroma disappears.
13. Then add ⅓ cup of tightly packed chopped tomatoes.
14. Stir to mix and add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander), ¼ teaspoon cumin powder (optional), ground spices added to the tomato, chili and ginger mixtureground spices added to the tomato, chili and ginger mixture.
15. Stir again very well and sauté the tomatoes until they soften completely and become pulpy. You should also see oil escaping from the sides.
16. Now add the cashew powder.
17. Over medium-low heat, stir and fry the mixture for 2 minutes after adding the cashew powder.
18. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the ground achari masala spice mix and add the rest.
19. Stir very well. At this stage you can also add 1-2 tsp of North Indian or Punjabi masala mango pickle if you have it.
20. Add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of besan (also known as gram flour). You can substitute gram flour for gram flour. We add besan so that the curd does not separate.
21. Stir the besan very well and incorporate it into the rest of the masala.
22. Keep the heat low and add the beaten curd.
23. As soon as you add the curd, start stirring the mixture quickly.
24. Continuing to stir rapidly, incorporate the curd well into the rest of the masala.
25. Add salt to taste.
26. Let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat.
27. Add the paneer cubes. I recommend using 200 or 250 grams of paneer cut into cubes.
28. Cook the paneer cubes for about 20 to 30 seconds. Do not cook for longer as the paneer cubes may become soft and rubbery. Turn off the heat.
29. Then add 3 tablespoons of light cream or low-fat crème fraîche. You can also use 1 to 2 tablespoons of whipping cream or heavy cream. Also add ½ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) to the sauce.
30. Mix very well and gently.
31. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves and 1 teaspoon of chopped mint leaves. Stir to combine.
32. While serving, sprinkle reserved achari masala on top and garnish with a sprig of coriander or mint. Serve achari paneer with tandoori roti, chapati or naan or Plain Paratha or Laccha Paratha or Rumali Roti.
Expert advice
Curd: Make sure to use fresh curd or yogurt. The curd should not be sour as the sauce will become very sour.
Achari masala: For achari masala, use fresh spices, within their shelf life and which have not gone rancid.
Cashew Powder: You can even use store-bought cashew powder in this recipe. If you do, add 2 tablespoons of it and make sure it is fresh and not rancid.
Fat Choice: You can use mustard oil, sunflower oil or ghee (clarified butter) to cook this dish. If you are using mustard oil, make sure to heat it first until it smokes and then proceed with the recipe.
Cream: For the cream, you can use either 3 tablespoons of light or reduced-fat cream, or 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy or whipping cream.
Gluten-free version: You can make this dish gluten-free by using gluten-free asafoetida (hing). However, I wouldn’t suggest skipping the addition of asafoetida as it is a must-have in every achari recipe.
Vegan Version: While this dish is best made with paneer and dairy products, you can still turn it into a vegan dish by using firm tofu in place of paneer. Also, use a dairy-free yogurt or skip the cream or use coconut cream instead.
Make Ahead: I suggest making this dish when you plan to serve it hot and fresh. Do not make this dish in advance as in the refrigerator the flavors will change and on reheating the paneer cubes will become dense.
Scaling: This recipe cannot be scaled easily. Try to follow the recipe as is without changing the proportions of the ingredients. Since this is a sauce with complex flavors, any changes may result in an imbalance in taste.
FAQ
Can I substitute another nut for the cashews?
Yes! Feel free to swap in almonds or peanuts, or opt for sunflower seeds if you have a nut allergy.
Can I prepare achari paneer in advance?
I would not recommend this. This sauce is best served hot as soon as it is prepared. In the refrigerator, because of the yogurt, the taste will change. Also, when reheated, the paneer cubes lose their softness and can become chewy.
Can I make a dairy-free version of achari paneer?
If needed, you can replace the paneer with a block of firm tofu. Although I haven't tried it myself, I suspect opting for a dairy-free yogurt and omitting the cream or swapping it for coconut cream should work just fine too!
