Pickled Potatoes (Achari Aloo)
Pickled Potatoes, also known as Achari Aloo, is a spicy, tangy and flavour-packed Indian potato recipe made with classic achari spices.
Ingredients
For the Achari (Pickled) Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds / dhaniya
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds / saunf
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds / jeera
- ½ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds / sarson / rai
- ¼ teaspoon nigella seeds / kalonji
- ⅛ teaspoon fenugreek seeds / methi dana
- ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns / kali mirch
- 2 dry red chillies / sukhi lal mirch
For The Potatoes
- 350 grams potatoes , cut into halves
- 3 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds / saunf
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 green chillies , finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or smoked paprika powder
- ½ teaspoon salt , as needed
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Add coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, yellow mustard seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds, black peppercorns and dry red chillies to a pan.
- Dry roast the spices on low heat for about 1 minute, or until they become aromatic. Stir continuously so the spices do not burn.
- Turn off the heat and let the roasted spices cool slightly. Transfer them to a grinder and grind into a coarse powder. Keep this achari spice mix aside.
- Wash the potatoes well and cut them in half. Boil them in water until they are just tender. Do not overcook them, or they may break while frying.
- Drain the boiled potatoes and let them rest for a few minutes so the extra moisture dries up.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the boiled potatoes in the pan, cut side down.
- Fry the potatoes for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove them from the pan and keep them aside.
- In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
- Add fennel seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Add some asafoetida.
- Add chopped onions and chopped green chillies. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions turn soft and light golden.
- Add red chilli powder or smoked paprika powder and salt. Mix well and cook for 20 to 30 seconds on low heat.
- Add the fried potatoes back to the pan and mix gently so the potatoes are coated with the onion mixture.
- Add the prepared achari spice mix and 3 tablespoons water.
- Mix gently and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the potatoes absorb the masala and the water dries up.
- Once the potatoes are well coated with the thick achari masala, turn off the heat.
- Serve hot with paratha, poori, roti, dal-rice or as a snack.
Notes
Do not over-roast the spices, as they can turn bitter.
Use baby potatoes if you want a more restaurant-style look. If using regular potatoes, cut them into medium-sized pieces after boiling.
For a milder version, use smoked paprika instead of red chilli powder.