Achar dishes were something I had never really had before marriage and thus by default not really ventured much into after marriage. But sometimes, you’ll want something with a bit more zing in it, and that’s where this Achari Aloo Ki Bhujia can lend a helping hand.
Today I’m sharing a simple one-pot no fuss no-fry recipe that is simply the epitome of a simple meal! This recipe includes no onion and garlic – so no frying, no sautéing and no time spent slaving over the stove. I don’t like this term, but it’s definitely a ‘dump-and-go’ recipe. You literally just throw everything into a pot, turn on the heat and simmer away – honestly, what is NOT to love about that?!
What is an Achari dish?
‘Achar‘ literally means pickle in Urdu. An Achari dish is any dish which is cooked with a distinct tangy, pickled flavour.
There’s a special and specific spice mix when it comes to all Achari recipes. It’s essentially what creates its distinct flavour and sets it apart from other recipes which may also be tangy, but not Achari.
Remember this spice mix, as it will come in handy in the future for any Achari dish you may want to try! You can use this for any vegetable too and you will get that traditional Achar taste.
1tsp nigella sativa (kalonji) seeds
1tsp black mustard seeds
1tsp fennel seeds
1/2tsp fenugreek seeds
4tbsp tamarind sauce
These flavours in that exact ratio come together to create that exact Achar taste you find in pickle jars and from restaurants. And you’ll also find that the longer the flavours sit together, the deeper and more pronounced those flavours become!
The most well known Achar dish happens to be Achar Gosht, a pickled curry made with mutton or lamb, but there are also many other popular varieties including Achar Chicken, Achari Bhindi etc.
How can I serve Achari Aloo Ki Bhujia?
You can serve Achari Aloo Ki Bhujia as both a main and a side.
If you serve it as a main, I would recommend having it alongside buttery, flaky parathas. That’s how I had these too!
If you’d like to serve them as a side dish, they will go great with something meaty such as seekh kebabs and grilled chicken, sort of like a carby side to a barbeque meal. Alternately, if you’d like to serve these alongside a curry then I reckon a Chicken Bhuna or Gosht Dopiaza would be great!
Enjoy, with love, and lots of buttery and flaky parathas! x
Achari Aloo Ki Bhujia
Ingredients
- 500 grams potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 150 grams tomato puree
- 1/2 tsp nigella sativa (kalonji)
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
- 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds (raye)
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
- 2 tbsp plum or tamarind sauce
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 whole small green chillis
- 4 tbsp oil/butter/ghee
- Coriander for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the sliced potatoes in some water for about half an hour. This helps take out some of their sweetness and removes some of the starch which will prevent the water of our curry becoming gloopy and thick.
- Drain the potatoes and add all the ingredients for the curry and 1 cup of water. Bring this to a boil, then cover and simmer on low till the potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- Your Achari Aloo Ki Bhujia is ready! Garnish with fresh coriander and devour
Notes
You can substitute the tomato puree for about 1-2 medium sized tomatoes sliced very finely.
Shirley
Wednesday 20th of December 2017
How do you make tamarind sauce. I have a square of soft tamarind but not sauce!
Sairah Bashir
Sunday 29th of October 2017
I just made this in the pressure cooker and it was wonderful! The only adjustments I had to make, based on what I had on hand was use 2 fresh tomatoes (worked great, except for the excess skins at the end, which I don't mind), and regular mustard seeds in place of black mustard seeds. I also cut the butter down to 2 tablespoons and I think it works wonderfully with no loss in flavor. Thank you! I'll definitely be making this again! I'm eating it straight out of a bowl right now. :)
Fatima
Sunday 29th of October 2017
Yay! Glad you liked it! And the pressure cooker is a god-send!