The specialty of Achari Paneer lies in its unique spice blend, which sets it apart from regular paneer dishes. The aroma of fennel, fenugreek, and nigella seeds is simply irresistible. If you have guests coming over or want to cook something special on Sunday, this dish is perfect.

Ingredients for Achari Paneer
To make this dish, we will need two types of ingredients: a special Achari spice blend and the ingredients for the gravy.

For the Achari spice blend:
Fennel seeds: 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds: ½ teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds: ¼ teaspoon
Nigella seeds: ¼ teaspoon
Cumin seeds: ½ teaspoon
Whole dry red chilies: 2
For the gravy and paneer:
Paneer: 250 grams (cut into pieces)
Mustard oil: 2-3 tablespoons (use mustard oil instead of refined oil for authentic flavor)
Onions: 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tablespoon
Tomato puree: from 2 tomatoes
Yogurt: ½ cup (whipped)
Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon
Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 teaspoon (for color)
Salt: to taste
Fresh coriander leaves: for garnish
Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi): 1 teaspoon

Method for making Achari Paneer
First, lightly heat a pan and add all the ingredients for the Achari spice blend (fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, dry chilies). Roast them on low heat for 1-2 minutes until a light aroma is released. Once cooled, grind it coarsely. This spice blend is the heart of this dish.

Next, heat mustard oil in a pan. Heat it until it starts to smoke (to remove the raw taste of the oil). Now reduce the heat and add the finely chopped onions. Sauté the onions until golden brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for one minute.

Now add the tomato puree to the pan. Also add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Cook until the oil separates from the spices. Now add the "achari masala" that you prepared in Step 1.

Then reduce the heat to very low and add the beaten yogurt. Stir continuously with a spoon while adding the yogurt to prevent it from curdling. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add the paneer cubes to the gravy. If the gravy seems too thick, add half a cup of hot water. Sprinkle crushed fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) on top. Cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes so that the paneer absorbs the flavors of the spices.

Finally, turn off the heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Your hot and delicious Dhaba-style Achari Paneer is ready. Serve it with butter naan, lachha paratha, or jeera rice.

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