Achari Masala is an Indian spice mix that is used to make pickles. You can also use it to make achar flavored curries or snacks. Here is how to make it.
If you like homemade spices mixes, then do try these as well – Masala Chai Spice Mix, Zaatar Mix, Chaat Masala, and Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix.
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About This Recipe
Achar or pickle has been an Indian tradition and most households have a family recipe to make different varieties of pickles. To make the Indian style pickles, a spice blend is added to vegetables or other ingredients, and this spice mix is called Achari Masala.
Apart from using this spice mix to make pickles, you can add it to curries and snacks to give them a tangy, slightly bitter, and spicy pickle-like flavor.
The best Achari Masala is made at home. Homemade masala is made using high-quality ingredients and is free of any chemical color or preservatives.
Use it to make Achari Chicken, Achari Aloo, Achari Paneer, Achari Gobhi, Achari Paneer Tikka, Achari Turai, Achari Chole or Achari Bhindi.
This recipe makes approximately 1 cup of masala. You can easily scale up or down the recipe.
Ingredients
All the ingredients to make this recipe are available in Indian grocery stores. Check the one that is nearest to you.
Dry Red Chilies – Try to use Kashmiri red chilies as they give a lovely color to this masala without making it too spicy.
Whole Spices – You will need coriander seeds, nigella seeds (kalonji), fennel seeds (saunf), mustard seeds (sarson), fenugreek seeds (methi), and cumin seeds (jeera).
Others – You will also need salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida (hing), and dry mango powder (amchoor).
How To Make Achari Masala
Add 16-18 Kashmiri dry red chilies, 2 tablespoon coriander seeds, 2 teaspoon nigella seeds, 6 tablespoon fennel seeds, 4 tablespoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, 6 tablespoon cumin seeds to a pan, and dry roast on medium heat until browned and fragrant (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring while roasting.
Remove the pan from the heat and cool the ingredients completely.
Add the roasted ingredients to a grinder or a food processor along with 4 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon asafetida, and 4 teaspoon dry mango powder.
Grind to make a slightly coarse powder. Store the achari masala in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months. Use as required.
Pro Tips By Neha
The color of the masala depends on the variety of dry red chilies used to make it. I always use best quality Kashmiri dry red chilies as they give it a lovely bright color.
Roast the spices on medium-low heat to release the flavors. Roasting them on high heat will burn them and the taste of the spice mix will be not as good.
Fenugreek seeds and nigella seeds add bitterness to this masala. So keep their quantity to a minimum.
Grind the masala to a coarse powder and not very smooth for the best flavors.
This recipe can be easily halved, doubled, or tripled.
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Recipe Card
Achari Masala Recipe
Ingredients
- 16-18 Kashmiri dry red chilies
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds (dhaniya)
- 2 teaspoons nigella seeds (kalonji)
- 6 tablespoons fennel seeds (saunf)
- 4 tablespoons mustard seeds( sarson)
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
- 6 tablespoons cumin seeds (jeera)
- 4 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 4 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchoor)
Instructions
- Add Kashmiri dry red chilies, coriander seeds, nigella seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds to a pan, and dry roast on medium heat until browned and fragrant (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring while roasting.
- Remove the pan from the heat and cool the ingredients completely.
- Add the roasted ingredients to a grinder or a food processor along with salt, turmeric powder, asafetida, and dry mango powder.
- Grind to make a slightly coarse powder. Store the achari masala in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months. Use as required.
