Hi Everyone!! Warm welcome!! Today, I thought I will feed my always-hungry-for-meat family some vegetables. I like to explore different spices when I cook vegetables. I tried using pickle masala (achari masala) which is usually used to make pickles in India and it was so delicious. India is known for its various pickles made with different fruits and vegetables like unripe mangoes, lemon, sorrel leaves, carrots and these days we get pickles of chicken, goat and fish too. Every home in India has its own signature pickle recipe which is passed down to them from their older generations. Adapted from these pickle spices, achari masala curries became popular in Indian restaurants. Achari Paneer, Achari Chicken, Achari Aloo Gobi(Potatoes and Cauliflower) are very popular recipes from Punjabi cuisine which is prepared with these pickle spices.

You can use vegetables of your choice and saute them in onion and ginger garlic paste along with tomatoes spiced up with this achari masala powder. Check my recipe here to make Achari Masala Powder. Add whisked yogurt to balance the spices to give nice creamy gravy which is actually healthy too. Serve it with steamed rice or hot rotis (Indian flat bread). This is spicy, tangy and flavorful curry can be made with assorted vegetables of your choice. 

Achari Mix Vegetable Curry

Servings: 6-7

Ingredients:

Onions: 1 medium, chopped

Tomatoes: 2 medium, divided (chop 1 tomato and deseed the other one and cut to long pieces)

Cauliflower: 3/4 cup, long florets

Carrots: 3/4 cup, 1 inch pieces

Green Beans: 1/2 cup, 1 inch pieces

Green Peas: 1/4 cup, cooked

Red Bell Pepper: 1/4 cup, 1 inch pieces

Green chillies: 2, chopped

Coriander leaves: 1 tsp, chopped

Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tsp (can use minced garlic and ginger)

Salt: 1 tsp

Tumeric: 1/4 tsp

Red Chilly Powder: 1/2 tsp

Achari Masala Powder: 2 tsp, heaped

Garam Masala Powder: 1/2 tsp

All Purpose Flour/Chickpea Flour: 1 tsp

Non fat Yogurt: 3 tsp

Oil: 2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Chop all the vegetables and heat oil in non-stick skillet/pan. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a min until raw smell goes off                                                 
2. Add chopped onions and green chilies and saute till onions start to brown
3. Meanwhile as the onions cook, place the cauliflower, green beans and carrots in microwave safe bowl, add a teaspoon of water, cover and microwave  for 3-4 mins to half cook it                                                                                
4. Add the vegetables to the pan and also add achari masala powder, salt, turmeric, red chili powder and saute it for 3-4 mins until veggies are nicely coated in masala                                                                                                                 
5. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 mins. Add 1/2 cup of water and bring it to boil by covering the pan. Meanwhile whisk the yogurt by adding teaspoon of flour and teaspoon of gravy from the pan (This will help curd from curdling)                                                        
6. Check if vegetables are done and tomatoes are mushy and add tomato slices, red bell peppers and green peas and cook for a min(These veggies are added later so that it stays crunchy). Add the yogurt and give a nice stir and cook for 2-3 mins                                                                                                                                  
7. Adjust the seasoning, add garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves.