Achari Paneer Tikka

 

           Check out this yummy Achari Paneer Tikka. The paneer cubes and the veggies were marinated in homemade raw mango pickle, yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste and other spices. I first shallow fried them in a pan. Then threaded them into greased skewers. To give a Smokey flavor, I placed the skewers on a steel wire mesh and fire grilled on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

          

            These yummy small bites are best enjoyed with green chutney and accompanied with sliced onion, lime and green chilies. They can also be served in sandwiches or as a paneer roll for a light meal on the go. You can pack them up for lunch in parathas. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 200 gms. paneer cubes
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. hung yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour 
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. grated raw mango pickle (recipe given below)
• few wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• few dices of onion and tomato
• chopped coriander leaves to garnish
• any chutney, sliced onion, lime & green chilies to serve

           Make a paste of yoghurt, raw mango pickle, roasted chickpea flour, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, lime juice, 1 tbsp. mustard oil, ginger-garlic paste and salt.   

          Add the the paneer cubes and the diced onion and tomato. Marinate them with the achari paste for an hour in the refrigerator.

          Heat the remaining oil in a pan and sauté the marinated paneer and veggies for a few seconds on all sides. Keep aside.

          Thread the sautéed paneer and veggies into greased skewers.

          

          To give a Smokey flavor, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh and fire grill on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve along with any chutney, sliced onion lime and green chilies as an appetizer. 

     

             Make a paste of yoghurt, raw mango pickle, roasted chickpea flour, 

              Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, lime juice, 1 tbsp. 

               mustard oil, ginger-garlic paste and salt.   

                          Add the paneer cubes & the diced onion and tomato.

             Marinate them with the achari paste for an hour in the refrigerator.

                       Heat the remaining oil & sauté the marinated paneer.....

                       and veggies for a few seconds on all sides. 

                            Keep aside.

                   Thread the sautéed paneer & veggies into greased skewers.

                    For a Smokey flavor, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh fire 

                grill on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

              Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with any chutney, sliced

                  onion lime and green chilies as an appetizer. 

Raw Mango Pickle - 

• 2 medium raw mango, grated
• 2 tbsp. dry roasted panch phoron, powdered
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup mustard oil
• salt to taste
• 3 tsp. red chili powder

          In a bowl, combine all the ingredients well and store in an airtight container. 

          Refrigerate it and consume after a week.

        

Note - 

         1.  Panch Phoron - (equal quantity of fennel, fenugreek, mustard, cumin & nigella seeds).


2.  The quantity of fenugreek seeds in the panch phoron masala may be reduced due to its bitterness.

Grilled Achari Chicken

          This is a healthy variation to any fried chicken and can be served as an appetizer, accompanied with some chutney or just a dash of lime. In this recipe, I marinated the chicken with some homemade grated mango pickle along with other basic spices. 

           Pair them with some salad or a bowl of soup for a light meal. It is a very easy recipe. So go ahead and dish out this amazing grilled chicken in your kitchen. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this gourmet delight.

• 2 chicken leg pieces
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1-2 tbsp. bottled pickle masala 
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. gram flour (besan)

           In a bowl, mix all the above mentioned ingredients together and marinate for 3-4 hours or preferably overnight.

          Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and arrange the marinated chicken on it. Grill for 30-35 minutes. Baste with the remaining marinade midway.

          Let it remain in the oven for 10 minutes. If you wish, you can grill on an open flame for a few seconds to get a charred look. 

          Serve, garnished with a dash of lime as an appetizer or as a light meal with soup or salad. 

                      Mix all ingredients & marinate for 3-4 hours or preferably overnight.

                  Line a baking tray with aluminum foil & arrange marinated chicken on it. 

                        Grill for 30-35 minutes. Baste with remaining marinade midway.
                        Let it remain in the oven for 10 minutes. 

                    Serve, garnished with a dash of lime as an appetizer or as a light meal. 

Grilled Achari Chicken (Grilled Chicken with Pickle Spices)

          This is a healthy variation to any fried chicken and are great appetizers to go with some green chutney or just a dash of lime. In this recipe, I marinated the chicken with some bottled pickle masala along with other basic spices. 

           Pair them with some salad and a bowl of soup for a healthy and a light meal. So go ahead and make these grilled chicken at home and I bet your family and friends will simply love these gourmet delight. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 kg. chicken, cut into medium size
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. bottled pickle masala 
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. vinegar / lime juice
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp. besan (gram flour)
• chopped coriander leaves, onion rings and a dash of lime to garnish

          In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together and marinate for 3-4 hours or preferably overnight.

          Place the chicken on the greased grill rack and grill for 30-35 minutes. Baste with the remaining marinade midway.

          Let it remain in the microwave for 5-10 minutes. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves, onion rings and a dash of lime. 

                    Mix all ingredients & marinate for 3-4 hours or preferably overnight.

                               Place chicken on a greased grill rack.

                            Grill for 30-35 minutes. Baste with remaining marinade midway.

                       Serve, garnished with coriander leaves, onion rings & a dash of lime. 

Achari Lachcha Paratha (Pickle Flavored Flaky Flat Bread)

          Parathas are generally a weekend breakfast at my place. So I like experimenting with different types. So this time it is Achari Paratha, made with some homemade grated raw mango pickle. You can use any pickle of your choice. It is both flaky and crispy and it turned out real yummy. Serve it hot with yoghurt. You can also relish with any side dish, green chutney or butter. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. oil 
• pickle masala as required
• some flour to sprinkle
• oil to shallow fry

         Knead a dough with flour, salt, oil and required quantity of water. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes. 

          Divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a chapatti.

          Spread some pickle masala on it. Then sprinkle a little bit of flour. Carefully, fold it back and forth. 

         Then roll it like a Swiss roll and flatten it. Roll out again by dusting some flour. Do the same with the rest of the dough.

          Heat a tawa / griddle and shallow fry each rolled parathas on both sides by brushing some oil over it.  

         Serve hot with any side dish, butter, yoghurt, green chutney or raita.

Knead a dough with flour, salt, oil & water. 

                      Cover & keep aside for 30 minutes. Divide into 4 equal portions. 

                      Roll each portion into a chapatti. Spread some pickle masala & sprinkle
                      flour over it. 

                                  Carefully, fold it back & forth.

                                 Roll it like a Swiss roll & flatten it.

Dust some flour over it & roll over again. Do the same with rest of the dough.

                        Heat a tawa & shallow fry the parathas, one at a time ,on both sides by

 brushing some oil over it.

Serve hot with any side dish, butter, yoghurt, green chutney or raita.

Achari Kathal Kofte Ki Kadhi (Raw Jackfruit Koftas in Pickled Yoghurt Sauce)

          Kadhi (yogurt sauce) is very popular in most North Indian homes. They differ from one region to the other in regard to the usage of ingredients. It is made with or without some pakoras dipped in it. Kadhi being my personal favourite, I keep experimenting. 

           So here in this recipe, I made some raw jackfruit koftas to go with the kadhi. I gave a twist by just adding some homemade mango pickle to the kadhi to enhance the flavour. It can be had with jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao, plain steamed rice, naan, tandoori roti or chapati. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Koftas - 

• 1 small size raw jackfruit, boiled & mashed 
• 1 potato, boiled & mashed
• 2 tbsp. besan (Gram flour)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• a handful of coriander & mint leaves, chopped
• oil to shallow fry

Kadhi - 

• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. besan (gram flour)
• 3 cups water
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. bottled pickle (I added some homemade mango pickle)

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Garnishing - 

• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes (opt)
• 1 tbsp. fried onions (opt)
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped (opt)

          In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients (except oil) mentioned under 'Koftas'. Make equal sized balls out of it and refrigerate for an hour.

          Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry them in batches till light golden in colour on all sides. Drain on a kitchen towel and keep side. 

          In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients mentioned under 'Kadhi'. Heat oil in a pan and temper with the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.

          Sauté for a few seconds. Add the yoghurt mix and gently simmer till  it reduces to the desired consistency.

          While serving, arrange the koftas on a serving dish and pour the kadhi over it. Garnish with coriander leaves, chili flakes and fried onions. 

          Relish it with plain steamed rice, plain biryani, pulao, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or chapatti.          

                               The boiled raw jackfruit & potatoes.

 Mix together all ingredients (except oil) mentioned under 'Koftas'. 

Make equal sized balls out of it & refrigerate for an hour.

                              Whisk together all the ingredients mentioned under 'Kadhi'. 

                           Heat oil & shallow fry them till light golden in colour on all sides.

Drain on a kitchen towel & keep side. 

                    Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida & curry leaves.

 Add yoghurt mix & simmer till  it reduces to the desired consistency.

                Arrange koftas on a serving dish & pour the kadhi over it. Garnish with 
                coriander leaves, chili flakes & fried onion. Enjoy with steamed rice, plain 
                biryani, pulao, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or chapatti.