Achari

Delicious dish which can be made with vegetables, chicken or meat, infused with achari masala to give a unique tasting Indian dish loved by millions.

Preparation Time:30 minutes
Achari Masala Time:20-25 minutes
Dry Roasting: 5-7 minutes
Cooling: 5 minutes
Grinding: 5-7 minutes
Mixing Spices: 2-3 minutes
Cooking Time:1 hour and 35 minutes
Sauteing onions and garlic-ginger paste: 5 minutes
Cooking tomatoes until oil separates: 10 minutes
Cooking chicken until browned: 15-20 minutes
Simmering until chicken is fully cooked: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Dry Roasting: Dry roast mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, and nigella seeds in a pan over medium heat until they release a pleasant aroma. Be cautious not to burn them.
2. Cooling and Grinding: Allow the roasted spices to cool. Grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
3. Mixing Spices: In a bowl, mix the ground spices with mustard powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Adjust the salt and chili powder according to your taste preferences.

You can buy ready made achari paste from amazon by clicking this link. You can also pick achari past from your local cash and carry.

Achari Recipe for Vegetables (Veg), Chicken, or Meat:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of your choice of vegetables (cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, etc.) or 500g chicken or meat
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• 2 tablespoons Achari masala
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preparation: If using vegetables, clean and cut them into bite-sized pieces. If using chicken or meat, clean and cut into desired pieces.
2. Cooking:
   • Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions, and sauté until golden brown.
   • Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute until the raw smell disappears.
   • Add tomato puree and cook until the oil separates from the masala.
3. Adding Achari Masala:
   • Add the Achari masala to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring well.
4. Adding Vegetables/Chicken/Meat:
   • If using vegetables, add them to the masala and stir to coat.
   • If using chicken or meat, add the pieces and brown them in the masala.
5. Cooking Through:
   • Add salt to taste and cook until the vegetables or meat are cooked through.
6. Garnish:
   • Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
7. Serve:
   • Serve hot with rice or Indian bread of your choice.

Enjoy your amazing homemade Achari dish with naan, chapatti or rice!