Achari Aloo
Achari Aloo Masala (Aloo Achari) is a North Indian style potato dish made using potatoes and Indian pickling spices. It is spicy and tangy and can be served with parathas for breakfast or as a side dish with your everyday meals. Here is how to make it (vegan).
If you want to try a few more easy and delicious potato recipes, then try these – Aloo Matar, Vrat Wale Sookhe Aloo, Jaiphali Aloo, Aloo Anardana, and Aloo Vindaloo.
In North India, Chola Bhatura thali comes with some pickle, fried chilies, and a tangy and spicy potato sabji. This sabji pairs very well with bhature and takes the entire chole bhature experience to the next level. This sabji is achari aloo.
Now whenever I make chole bhature at home, I always make this delicious sabji to go along. My recipe is very close to the sabji you get at Haldiram’s. Do try it.
About Achari Aloo
Achari Aloo Masala (Aloo Achari) is a North Indian dry potato sabzi in which potato wedges are cooked with Achari masala powder (an Indian pickling spice mix). It is spicy and tangy and comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Indian pickle masala (spice blend) is mostly used to make pickles like mango pickle, lemon pickle, etc, but you can also use this pickle masala to make achari aloo recipe.
This recipe is vegan and can be made gluten-free. You can double or triple it too.
Ingredients
Potatoes – You can use any potatoes that are easily available. If using regular potatoes, cut them into thin wedges, and if using baby potatoes, cut them in half.
Make sure to soak the cut potatoes in water until ready to use to avoid their blackening due to oxidation.
Achari Masala Powder is a spice mix made using various spices and is used to make Indian-style pickles. It has mustard seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds etc which gives the pickles a unique taste.
Make a big batch using my Achari Masala Powder recipe and keep using it to make various recipes. You can also buy this masala from any Indian grocery store.
I also use this masala to make my Achari Chicken Curry, Achari Bhindi Masala, Achari Gobi, Achari Turai, and Achari Chole.
Other Spice Powders – You will also need other spice powders such as turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and dry mango powder (amchoor).
Oil – This achari aloo sabzi tastes best when cooked in mustard oil. If mustard oil is not easily available, you can use any cooking oil, such as light olive oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil.
Other Ingredients – You will also need asafetida (hing), cumin seeds, fresh ginger, green chilies, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
How To Make Achari Aloo Masala
Preparation
Peel 1 lb (500 g) potatoes using a vegetable peeler and cut them into ½ inch thick wedges. Soak the potatoes in water until ready to use to prevent blackening from oxidation.
Grate a small piece of ginger. You need 1 teaspoon of grated ginger.
Chop a small green chili. You can adjust the chili according to your taste.
Chop a handful of cilantro. You need 2 tablespoon of chopped cilantro.
Gather the remaining ingredients.
Make The Achari Aloo
Heat 3 tablespoon mustard oil (or any other oil) in a pan over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot, add ¼ teaspoon asafetida and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
Add 1 teaspoon grated ginger and 2 teaspoon chopped green chili and fry for 8-10 seconds. Stir frequently.
Add potato wedges to the pan and fry for a minute.
Now add the following ingredients and mix well.
- 2 tablespoon achari masala powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the potatoes are tender (10-12 minutes).
Add a little water in between if the masala is drying. Stir a few times while cooking.
Once the potatoes are cooked well, add 1 teaspoon dry mango powder and 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and mix well.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Serve hot with phulka and dal.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make this dish with curry, add ½ cup tomato puree before adding the potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes. Keep the remaining recipe and ingredients the same. Once the potatoes are tender, add 1 cup of water and bring the curry to a boil.
I have used asafoetida (hing) in this recipe, which is not gluten-free. You can skip it to make the dish gluten-free, and you should also skip adding it to achari masala.
Serving Suggestions
This sabji is typically served with chole and bhature but it also tastes great with any Indian flatbread such as Roti, Poori, Missi Roti, Lachha Paratha.
You can serve it with parathas for breakfast, or pack it in your school or office lunch boxes. It also makes a great side dish with your simple dal roti or dal rice meal.
Storage Suggestions
Achari Aloo will easily last 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store it in a clean and dry container with a tight lid.
Reheat in the microwave or pan before serving. Sprinkle a little water on top while reheating to add moisture.
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Achari Aloo Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons mustard oil (or any other cooking oil)
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
- 1 pound potatoes (500 g, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick wedges)
- 2 tablespoons achari masala powder (recipe to make it is in the notes)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchoor)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, add asafetida and cumin seeds and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
- Add ginger and green chili and fry for 8-10 seconds. Stir frequently.
- Add potato wedges to the pan and fry for a minute.
- Now add achari masala powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the potatoes are tender (10-12 minutes).
- Add little water in between if the masala is drying. Stir a few times while cooking.
- Once the potatoes are cooked well, add dry mango powder and cilantro and mix well.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Serve hot with phulka and dal.
What is achari masala? How to make it?
There is a link to Achari Masal recipe in the post. Please click on that and it will take you to the recipe.
https://www.whiskaffair.com/achari-masala/
Here is the link. I had to look for it for a while as well.
normally people put small round potatoes for this recipe but you have sliced it nice idea, keep it up
Thnx 🙂
Made it with cubed potatoes, huge hit!! Have made it several times since then 🙂
Very good to hear ths!
VERY NICE RECIPE, I WILL MADE IT TOMORROW.
Do try.