Achari Paneer

Ingredients

• Fennel seed

  Spices

  1 tsp, whole or 2g

• Cumin

  Spices, cumin seed

  1 tsp, whole or 2g

• Mustard seed

  Spices, ground

  1 tsp or 2g

• Fenugreek seed

  Spices

  ¼ tsp or 0.9g

• Plain yogurt

  Whole milk, 8 grams protein per 8 ounce

  1 cup or 245g

• Tomatoes

  Orange, raw

  1 tomato or 111g

• Turmeric

  Spices, ground

  ¼ tsp or 0.6g

• Chili powder

  Spices

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Coriander leaf

  Spices, dried

  ½ tsp or 0.3g

• Cumin

  Spices, cumin seed

  ¼ tsp, whole or 0.5g

• Chickpea flour

  (besan)

  1 tbsp or 6g

• Fenugreek seed

  Spices

  ½ tsp or 2g

• Cream

  Kroger

  3 tablespoons or 47g

• Sunflower oil

  Linoleic (less than 60%)

  2 tbsp or 27g

• Fresh cilantro

  Coriander leaves, raw

  1 tbsp or 1g

• Mint Leaf, Crushed

  Castella

  100g

• Salt

  Table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Cashew nuts

  Nuts, raw

  ⅛ cup or 17g

• Paneer

  Gopi

  225g

Directions

1. roasting pickling spices
2. First take the achari or pickling spices in a pan - 1 tsp fennel seeds/saunf, 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera, 1 tsp mustard seeds/rai or sarson, 1/2 tsp nigella seeds/kalonji and 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds/methi dana.
3. Heat the pan and on a low flame roast the spices till they are fragrant. Don't brown them.
4. Once cooled, add the spices in a small dry grinder or spice grinder and grind to a semi fine powder.
5. Remove the achari masala powder and keep aside in a bowl.
6. making masala base for achari paneer
7. In the same grinder, add 10 to 12 cashews.
8. Grind to a fine powder. If oil releases while grinding then its fine.
9. In a bowl, take 1 cup fresh whole milk curd/yogurt and whisk it till smooth. Use fresh curd and not sour curd.
10. Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil or sunflower oil or ghee in a pan.
11. On a low flame, add 2 dry red chilies and a generous pinch of asafoetida. Saute for some seconds till the red chilies change color.
12. Then add 1.5 tsp ginger-green chili paste - about 1/2 inch ginger + 1 or 2 green chilies crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
13. Then add 1/3 cup tightly packed chopped tomatoes.
14. Stir and add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder and 1/4 tsp cumin powder (optional).
15. Again stir very well and saute the tomatoes till the tomatoes soften completely and become pulpy. You should also see oil releasing from the sides.
16. Now add the cashew powder. If using store brough cashew powder, then add 2 tbsp cashew powder. Do check the shelf life of store brought cashew powder before adding.
17. On a low to medium flame, stir and saute the mixture for 2 minutes after adding cashew powder.
18. Reserve 1 tsp of the ground achari masala and add the rest. Stir very well.
19. Add 1 tbsp besan. We are adding besan so that the curd does not curdle.
20. Stir the besan very well and incorporate it into the rest of the masala.
21. making paneer achari gravy
22. Keep the flame on a low and add the beaten curd.
23. As soon as you add the curd, begin to stir the mixture quickly and fast. Stirring quickly, incorporate the curd well into the rest of the masala.
24. Add salt as per taste.
25. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.
26. Add the paneer cubes. 200 or 250 grams paneer chopped in cubes.
27. Cook the paneer cubes for about 1 to 2 minutes.
28. Then add 3 tbsp low fat fresh cream and 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, which has been crushed in the paneer achari gravy. Stir very well.
29. Switch off the flame and add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and 1 tsp chopped mint leave & stir again.
30. While serving sprinkle the reserved achari masala from top and garnish with a coriander or mint sprig. Serve achari paneer masala with tandoori rotis, chapatis or naan.
31. Recipe by: Dassana Amit (source: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/achari-paneer-recipe/)