Achari Paneer Recipe | How to make Achari Paneer

Achari Paneer – which essentially translates to “pickled cottage cheese” – is a delicious Northern Indian dish where soft pieces of paneer are served in a creamy, masala gravy accentuated with pickle spices and tangy curd. Here I show you how to make this yummy Punjabi recipe using step-by-step photos.

About Achari Paneer Recipe

During my many years as a cook, I’ve tried many achari paneer recipes that were quite disappointing. This recipe is the culmination of many years of experimentation, and the results were too good that I have to share!

The robust flavor of the pickling spices is pronounced without being overwhelming, and the sourness of the fresh curd complements the spices perfectly. If you are fond of pickles, you will love achari paneer!

I also like that this recipe is made without any onions or garlic. If you have an aversion to alliums, don’t fret! This tangy paneer gravy recipe was made for you. That said, if you’re a fan of onions and garlic, you can absolutely add them.

In my opinion, achari paneer is best served with tandoori roti, paratha or Naan, but you can absolutely opt to serve it with rice, steamed veggies or a side salad if you have a gluten intolerance.

My friends, this is a really good paneer achari recipe. The taste is similar to that of grilled Achari paneer tikka, but you get soft pieces of paneer in a smooth, luxurious gravy. If you are looking for a new way to prepare your paneer, stop your scrolling and get to cooking!

How to Make Achari Paneer

Roasting pickling spices

1. First take the achari or pickling spices in a pan. The five pickling spices in clockwise order are:

• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• ½ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2. Heat the pan on a low flame and roast the spices till they are *just* fragrant. Don’t brown them or burn them.

3. Once cooled, add the spices to a small spice grinder. (You can also use a mortar and pestle if you don’t have a spice grinder.)

4. Grind to a semi-fine powder.

5. Remove the achari masala powder and set aside for later.

6. In the same grinder, add 10 to 12 cashews.

7. Grind to a fine powder. Don’t worry if some fat is removed during the grinding process; that is natural.

8. In a bowl, take 1 cup fresh whole milk curd/yogurt and whisk it till smooth. Use fresh curd and not sour curd.

Making achari masala

9. Heat 2 tablespoons of mustard oil or sunflower oil or ghee in a pan.

If using mustard oil, then allow it to smoke before you add the spices. For any other oil or ghee, just heat it until shimmering in the pan. Then lower the flame and add 2 dry red chilies and a generous pinch of asafoetida.

TIP: If you are gluten intolerant, be sure that your asafoetida is gluten free! Many commercially available brands are processed with wheat.

10. Saute for a few seconds till the red chilies change color.

11. Then add 1.5 teaspoons ginger-green chili paste (about ½ inch ginger + 1 to 2 green chilies crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle).

12. Stir and sauté till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.

13. Then add ⅓ cup tightly packed chopped tomatoes.

14. Stir and add the following spices:

• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
• ¼ teaspoon cumin powder (optional)

15. Again stir very well and sauté the tomatoes till they soften completely and become pulpy. You should also see oil releasing from the sides.

16. Now add the cashew powder.

NOTE: If using store brought cashew powder, then add 2 tbsp cashew powder. Check the shelf life of the store brought cashew powder before adding, as it can go rancid during storage.

17. On a low-medium flame, stir and sauté the mixture for 2 minutes after adding cashew powder.

18. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the ground achari masala spice mix and add the rest.

19. Stir very well. At this stage, you can also add 1 to 2 teaspoons of mango pickle masala, if you have it.

20. Add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons besan (also known as gram flour). You can swap gram flour with chickpea flour. We are adding besan so that the curd does not separate.

21. Stir the besan very well and incorporate it into the rest of the masala.

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.

24. Continuing to stir quickly, incorporate the curd well into the rest of the masala.

25. Add salt to taste.

26. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.

27. Add the paneer cubes. I recommend using 200 or 250 grams paneer chopped in cubes.

28. Cook the paneer cubes for about 20 to 30 seconds. Don’t cook for more time as then the paneer cubes can get chewy and rubbery. Switch off the heat.

29. Then add 3 tablespoons light cream or low-fat fresh cream. You can also use 1 to 2 tablespoon of whipping cream or heavy cream.

Also add ½ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) to the paneer achari gravy.

30. Gently mix very well.

31. Add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves and 1 teaspoon chopped mint leaves. Stir.

32. While serving, sprinkle the reserved achari masala from the top and garnish with a coriander or mint sprig. Serve achari paneer with tandoori roti, chapati or naan or Plain Paratha or Laccha Paratha or Rumali Roti.

Frequently Asked Questions

Need more Paneer Recipes? Check out some of my favorites:

• Palak paneer
• Matar paneer
• Shahi paneer
• Paneer tikka masala
• Paneer butter masala.

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

This Achari Paneer post is from the blog archives first published in April 2015 has been updated and republished on June 2021.