Achari Chole

Another one I made for me and the wife, minus the chilli and the pickle which the Ayurvedic practitioner has forbidden. I am also told to avoid tomatoes (part of the nightshade family) but have yet to find a suitable alternative, so tomatoes were added. We will be enjoying this again over the coming weeks and I am exploring a few other Achari recipes.

Ingredients

For Achari Masala
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
0.5 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
0.5 teaspoon nigella seeds
0.5 teaspoon carom seeds
2-3 whole red chilies

For The Curry
1 can chickpeas
4 tablespoons mustard oil (or vegetable oil)
350 grams red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
150 grams chopped tomatoes
0.5 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
2 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchoor)
2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon of ready made pickle (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method

Make Achari Masala
Dry roast the ingredients to make achari masala in a pan over medium heat until slightly browned and fragrant. Stir frequently while roasting.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the ingredients cool down for 10 minutes. Grind to a coarse powder

Make The Curry
Heat mustard oil in a pan over medium-high heat.

When the oil is hot, add onions and fry till the onions are pink in colour (4-5 minutes), stirring frequently. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry till onions are golden brown in colour (5-6 minutes). Add tomatoes and cook for a minute.

Add the achari masala, roasted cumin powder, dry mango powder, salt, and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Fry the masala for about 2 minutes, until the oil starts to come separate. Add little water if required.

Add the cooked chickpeas along with the water from the tin to the pan. 
Add a further 125ml of water and mix well.

Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes. Add optional pickle and cook for another minute. Check seasoning and add more salt if needed.

Garnish with fresh green coriander and serve hot.

Quote from: tempest63 on May 20, 2023, 07:01 AM
Lucknowi Achari Gobi by Maunika Gowardhan

Ingredients
(Serves 4 as an accompaniment)

480g cauliflower cut to medium size florets
2 birds eye green chillies roughly chopped (add more if you prefer it spicy)
3 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp nigella seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
120g white onion finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
1" ginger roughly chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander seeds coarsely ground
Salt to taste
2 tsp Amchoor/dried mango powder
1 tbsp sugar
Coriander for garnish

Method
Add the cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek, fennel and nigella seeds to a mixer and grind to a coarse mix. Separately add the green chillies with a pinch of salt to a pestle and mortar and grind to a paste. Set aside. Blend the garlic and ginger to a smooth paste with a splash of water and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom sauce pan over a medium flame. Add the asafoetida and the coarsely ground spice mix. Fry for 20 seconds and add the onions cook them for 12 minutes stirring well. As they begin to soften add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for a minute.

Add the turmeric powder, stir well and add the cauliflower florets along with the coriander powder. Season to taste. Fry for a 2-3 minutes stirring continuously. Add 150ml water and the green chilli paste. Stir well and cook over a low heat with a lid on for 14 minutes. Stir a couple of times through the cooking.

Add amchoor powder and sugar continue cooking for a minute. Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve warm with roti, naan or pulao.

I made this for me and the wife tonight, minus the asafoetida and chilli which the Ayurveda lady has told me to avoid in the short term.
I also added a couple of tablespoons of yoghurt. It proved very acceptable.

Achaari Bangun
Aubergine and Potato Curry with Pickling Spices

Ingredients

Achaari pickling spice blend
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp chilli flakes

Masala
1-2 Aubergines, washed and chopped into 5cm pieces
1 tbsp mustard oil or Rapeseed oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp asafoetida
1 onion, sliced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced 3cm pieces.
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 chillies, sliced 
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
1 tsp mango powder (amchoor)
handful coriander leaves, chopped   

Method

Achaari spice mix
In a heavy bottom pan, dry roast all the spices on a medium low heat until fragrant and nutty. Shake the pan so they don't burn. Remove from the heat and put into a bowl so they don't continue to cook.

Allow the spices to cool completely then in a spice grinder blitz to a fine powder.

Masala
If using mustard oil heat to smoking then allow to cool before cooking. Add the oil to the pan to warm.

Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida once fragrant add the sliced onion and stir to cook until just starting
to colour.

Stir in the sliced garlic for about 2 minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes.

Stir and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down. You may need to add a little water to help them
cook.

Stir in the salt, ginger and chillies along with the achaari spice mix, turmeric, chilli powder, ground coriander seeds and mango powder. Mix and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the diced potatoes and coat with the masala reduce the heat to the lowest setting and leave for a few minutes with the lid on the pan.

Add the aubergine, stir to coat, cover and cook until the veggies are soft and tender. You shouldn't need to add any water if its on a very low heat but if you want to help them cook more quickly you can add about
50ml.

Stir occasionally after about 20 minutes the potatoes and aubergine should be soft.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, a few kalongi seeds and serve with lots of fresh roti's.

Served with

Great as a main or a side dish and goes hand in hand with roti that have been smeared in butter. The left overs are amazing for a quick lunch and it's even great in a toasted sandwich or in a wrap.

Quote from: Peripatetic Phil on May 20, 2023, 09:12 AM
Would I be correct in thinking from your use of cilantro, T63, that this recipe is American in origin ?
--
** Phil.

Yes Phil. The site is Tea for Turmeric and is run by a lady who is Pakistani by birth but raised in the states.
There are plenty of good traditional recipes on the site.

https://www.teaforturmeric.com/about-me/

Lucknowi Achari Gobi by Maunika Gowardhan

Ingredients
(Serves 4 as an accompaniment)

480g cauliflower cut to medium size florets
2 birds eye green chillies roughly chopped (add more if you prefer it spicy)
3 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp nigella seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
120g white onion finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
1" ginger roughly chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander seeds coarsely ground
Salt to taste
2 tsp Amchoor/dried mango powder
1 tbsp sugar
Coriander for garnish

Method
Add the cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek, fennel and nigella seeds to a mixer and grind to a coarse mix. Separately add the green chillies with a pinch of salt to a pestle and mortar and grind to a paste. Set aside. Blend the garlic and ginger to a smooth paste with a splash of water and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom sauce pan over a medium flame. Add the asafoetida and the coarsely ground spice mix. Fry for 20 seconds and add the onions cook them for 12 minutes stirring well. As they begin to soften add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for a minute.

Add the turmeric powder, stir well and add the cauliflower florets along with the coriander powder. Season to taste. Fry for a 2-3 minutes stirring continuously. Add 150ml water and the green chilli paste. Stir well and cook over a low heat with a lid on for 14 minutes. Stir a couple of times through the cooking.

Add amchoor powder and sugar continue cooking for a minute. Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve warm with roti, naan or pulao.

ACHARI CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons oil
2 tsp fenugreek seeds, methi dana
2 tsp fennel seeds, saunf
1 tsp nigella seeds, kalonji
1 tsp cumin seeds, zeera
1 medium to large (250-270 g) onion, finely chopped
6-8 (1 tbsp heaped) garlic cloves, crushed
1- inch (1 tbsp ) ginger, crushed
1 Kg bone-in cut up, skinless chicken pieces
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
3-4 small (270-290 g) plum tomatoes (Roma or San Mariano), finely chopped
1-2 green chilli peppers , such as Serrano or Thai chilli, chopped or sliced
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
4 tablespoons plain, whole Greek yogurt, whisked
2-4 whole green chilli peppers, such as Serrano or Thai chilli

Garnish
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
1-2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 tbsp julienned ginger, optional, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, heat the oil and add the fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, and cumin seeds. The seeds will begin to sizzle. Immediately add the onions and sauté until they are lightly golden (10-12 min). If needed, deglaze the pan with 2 tbsp of water. Once the water dries up, add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute, until aromatic.

Add the chicken and 1/2 tsp salt and sauté for 5 minutes, until it changes colour. Add the tomatoes, green chilli pepper, coriander
powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and remaining salt (1 ½ tsp). Continue to sauté until the tomatoes soften (2-3 min). Add 1/3 cup water (the water should cover about 1/3 of the chicken) and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat to a simmer (low-medium), cover, and allow the chicken to cook for 20-25 minutes (depending on size), stirring once in between.

Uncover and raise the heat to high. Sauté for 4-5 minutes to reduce excess liquid. You will notice the chicken taking on a glossy appearance as the oil starts to separate, but it'll still have plenty of curry.

Lower the heat to low-medium and stir in the whisked yogurt. Add the whole green chilli peppers. Gently sauté for 2-3 minutes until well incorporated and you can see the oil separated from the curry. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. 

Turn off the heat. Add lemon juice and stir to mix. Garnish with cilantro and julienned ginger. Serve hot with naan, roti, paratha, or other bread.

Additional seasoning/marinade

When I have sufficient time I use the following spices to make a dry rub for the chicken.

1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Coriander
1/2 Tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric
1/2 Tsp Salt
Mix all the seasoning spices together then evenly coat the chicken with it. Refrigerate the spiced chicken overnight before continuing with the recipe above.

I have also used this for spatchcocked pheasants I found languishing and forgotten in the bottom of my freezer.

I have a pickling crock at home that has never been used since it was gifted to me, and I have a week off work so this may be my next project.

I have recently started to experiment with Achari recipes, those cooked with the pickling spices, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, kalonji. I find I really like the spice combination.

As an aside I consulted an Ayurvedic practitioner recently for a long term health condition and the diet she has asked me to follow limits meat and chicken to three times a week, so Achari cauliflower, chickpeas etc, is making life a little more bearable.

T63

We always cook a curry a few days before we intend to eat it so it "matures" in the fridge.
The fat or oil rises to the top, solidifies and can easily be removed with a spoon.

Youngest daughter is due to give birth and the hospital have delayed taking her in to induce her, so following an old housewives tale she asked me to knock her up a spicy curry in the hope it gets her labour started. Channa Chicken, Coorg Pork Stir fry, Aloo Gobi, Plain Basmati Rice, Beef Haleem and shop bought Chappati.
Here's hoping it kicks off her labour.