Name: Achari Paneer Masala
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 250 gms Paneer; 2 onions- Finely Chopped; 4 Tomatoes (Medium sized); 1 Green Capsicum; 4-5 Cashews (Kaju); 1 tbsp Mustard Oil; 1 Green Chilli; Pinch Asafoetida; Salt to taste; 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds (Dhaniya); 1 tbsp Fennel Seeds (Suanf); 1 tsp Mustard Seeds (Rai); 1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds (Methi); 2 Kashmiri Chillies; 1/4 tsp Nigella Seeds (Kalonji); 1 tsp Cumin (Jeera)

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Today's dish is Homemade Achari Paneer Masala. A spicy piquant curry with Cottage cheese, made with Indian pickling spices, to be eaten with steaming hot Ghee Rotis right off the tawa or white fluffy rice.

One of my earliest memories of school are from when I was probably 6 years old, sitting on the steps with my girl friends, swapping homemade Mango pickles and parathas made by our mothers.

Have you ever had homemade Mango pickles?

It's usually made with raw small green mangoes-quartered and preserved in a milieu of Mustard oil,Fennel Seeds(saunf),Nigella Seeds(Kalonji),Mustard Seeds(Rai) & Fenugreek Seeds(Methi seeds).When I made this curry the first time I was aiming to harness that taste of my childhood.Though i know nothing can compare to the pickles made by my late grandmother I still had to try!She could make pickles out of anything! Really..We counted..there was no vegetable or fruit in site which couldn't be pickled according to her.

This recipe has been in the testing phase for a long time because I wanted to get it just right.No room for error or cutting corners in this one.

I have taken what I have learnt by eating (mostly eating) and observing ,when my grandmother and mother made pickles , and used it in making this nostalgic Homemade Achari Paneer Masala.Though I usually do not cook in mustard oil,I have used it in this recipe, because the taste and aroma from mustard oil , is the first thing that hits you when you eat an Indian Mango pickle.

The hero spice in this dish is the saunf and kalongi- the Fennel seeds and the Nigella seeds, without which any pickle really would not be a pickle.Therefore, play around with the recipe if you must but do not skip the pickling spices because without them it will just be Paneer Masala.

Give this Homemade Achari Paneer Masala a try sometime, it's really not as complex as it looks.I promise!

Also before you go, do take a look at my other no fuss, quick paneer recipes too -My Mom’s Quick Paneer Capsicum,light and breezy Cottage Cheese and Tomato Salad .

How to soften Paneer

Who doesn't like cotton soft paneer in their curry?but most store bought paneer is quite hard.The best way to make them soft and fresh is by soaking them in warm water with a little splash(1 tsp) of vinegar for 10-15 minutes before using.

Variations of Homemade Achari Paneer Masala

If you are on a lactose free diet or simply can't stand paneer, pair the same Achari Masala with boiled potatoes or a mix of vegetables or koftas. Another great option is using tofu instead.

At times , when I have some not so appetising vegetables lying around in the dark depths of the fridge ,I fish out my Achari masalas and simply stir fry the thinly sliced veggies with some mustard oil in it.This trick especially works well with veggies like tindley and apple guards, which are only bought in the house when I feel guilty of eating too much capsicum and bhindi!