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Achaari Fried Rice

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This dish is quite nostalgic for me because I used to make it a lot back in undergrad. It’s the perfect I-don’t-have-enough-time-to-make-a-full-fledged-course-but-I-need-to-stop-eating-out-so-let’s-whip-up-something -quick-and-easy-from-the-four-things-I-have-in-my-fridge-type of meal.

The idea for the dish came together naturally on its own – I think one day I wanted to make some simple fried rice and it just hit me that I could use the homemade lemon achaar my mom had packed for me as a spice paste to make it extra flavorful and spicy.

I took whatever veggies were in my fridge, some day-old basmati rice, ginger and garlic, some soy sauce, a couple teaspoons of mom’s achaar -fried it all up and topped it all with a runny yolk egg for some extra protein and comfort.

Now of course you do not have to use homemade achaar – this is very much a use-whatever-is-in-your-pantry type of dish so a store-bought achaar will do just fine. Use whatever type you like – lemon, cabbage, ghosht, kerala – as long as you like the brand it will taste good.

This is a simple fusion that came together accidentally – but as proven time and time again, sometimes the dishes that are the least deliberately planned end up being the best.

And there you have it! A super easy and fun Indian twist on a fried rice dish – perfect if you want a little something that’s satisfying with minimal effort.

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Achaari Fried Rice

An Indian version of fried rice that uses achaar as a spice-paste for extra spiciness and flavor

Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup day-old basmati rice may use regular short-grain rice
  • 3/4 cup chopped veggies of your choice I use 1/4 cup of cabbage, carrot, and green beans each
  • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 2.5 tsp achaar of your choice
  • 2 1/2 tsp oil
  • 1-2 1/2 tsp soy sauce (or to taste)
  • 2 green onions
  • 1 tbsp cilantro

Fried Egg with Runny Yolk

  • 1 egg
  • 4 tbsp oil

Instructions

  1. Chop/jullienne your vegetables and set aside. 

  2. Add your oil in a wok on high heat. First add in your veggies. After 1-2 minutes, add in ginger-garlic paste and then your rice.

  3. Using your spatula, separate the rice kernels and allow them to fry in the oil.

  4. Add in your achaar and and soy sauce and incorporate into the rice. Allow the rice to brown. 

  5. Taste and adjust for seasonings. You may need to add more or less soy sauce depending on how salty your achaar is. 

  6. Set your rice aside and work on your fried egg. In a small frying pan, add in your oil. Then crack in your egg. Once the edges start crisping up, remove the egg with the spatula and drain the oil on a small plate lined with paper-towel. (If you want a runny yolk, make sure not to leave it in for too long. Gently press on the yolk to see how far it is cooked. It shouldn't take more than 90 seconds!) Top your fried rice with the egg and garnish with green onions and cilantro.

Ghosht Achaar

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Every South Asian household will have a jar of achaar sitting at the table – it’s an essential condiment that can transform even the plainest meals into something vibrant and tasty.

Achaar can come in all different varieties – lemon, mango, tomato, fish, and even as showcased here –  ghosht (mutton).

Achaar is basically a pickle – every culture has its own way of preserving and the Indian version is filled with yep you guessed it – lots and lots of spices.

To make this particular achaar, I start off by combining boneless lamb (you can use beef if you’d like) with lots of chopped garlic, salt, and turmeric. I tenderize it in a pressure cooker and then fry it in some oil afterwards until nice and caramelized.

 

Afterwards, I do the baghaar,  tempering of aromatics in oil. I take mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, dried chilies, nigella seeds, and sliced garlic and toast them in oil until they are nice and toasty. This step creates a wonderful aroma and brings about tremendous flavor to the achaar that you can’t get solely from mixing in spices.

I then let the mixture cool (a pro-tip from my mom who says that if you add in spices in hot oil, they will darken and your achaar will not have a lovely red color) and then add in my remaining spices – powdered ajwan, fennel, coriander, and chili powder.

To balance out the heat, I add in lots of freshly squeezed lime juice.

And that’s literally it. You can store this in an air-tight jar and keep it at room temperature for about a week or in the fridge for a month. The salt, acidity, and spices prevent the achaar from spoiling.

 

Achaar is traditionally served with the main meal on the side with roti or rice. If you want to do something more fun, you can use it as a spice paste and toss some in noodles or make a killer fried rice!

 

 

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Ghosht Achaar

A spicy Indian condiment made out of lamb pieces pickled in several spices and aromatics

Servings 1 medium jar

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lamb or beef (boneless, cut into small pieces)
  • 1/4 cup garlic (chopped)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp salt (yes, you do need a lot salt for achaar!)
  • 5 tsp oil
  • 4-5 limes (or to taste)

Baghaar (Tempering)

  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 5-6 dried red chilies
  • 4 cloves garlic (sliced)
  • 1 pinch asoefitida (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
  • 1/2 tsp nigella (kalonji seeds)

More Spices

  • 1 tsp fennel powder
  • 1 tsp ajwan powder
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder

Instructions

  1. Combine your lamb, garlic, turmeric, and salt. Add to a pressure cooker with a few tablespoons of water.

  2. Fit the lid on the pressure cooker and allow the lamb to cook until tenderized (should take about 6-8 whistles). 

  3. Remove the pressure cooker off the heat and allow it to cool. Once at room temperature, remove the lid. (Do not attempt to open it while still piping hot!)

  4. Add the meat to a hot frying pan (along with your 5 tsp of oil) and allow meat to cook until brown.

  5. Add in the juice of about 4-5 limes to your lamb, depending on how acidic you want your achaar to be. 

  6. Now work on the baghaar (tempering). Add the 1/3 cup of oil to a small hot pan. First add in your cumin seeds and mustard seeds.

  7. Once they start to pop, add in your methi (fenugreek seeds), garlic, curry leaves, nigella seeds, and dried chilies. Keep an eye on everything and make sure nothing burns! The whole process should take only a few minutes. Once everything is browned (but not black!), remove from heat immediately and transfer to the lamb. Combine.

  8. Now allow the mixture to cool. Then add in the remaining spices - ajwan, fennel, coriander. (The reason why you must let it cool is because if you add the spices to hot oil, they will turn black and your achaar will not have a lovely red color). Taste and adjust for seasoning. Remember achaar is supposed to be eaten in small increments so it's supposed to be super salty, spicy, and sour!

  9. Transfer to a clean, dry jar with a tight-fitting lid. You may store your achaar at room temperature for a week or in the fridge for 1 month. 

Corn Chaat

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I first made this recipe for my friend’s Indo-Mexican themed bridal shower dinner menu and boy was it a hit! This corn chaat is the perfect summer-time snack – crunchy, sweet, savory, tangy, and light.

I first start off by boiling some corn and charring it on the grill. If you don’t have access to a grill or don’t feel like firing it up just for a few corn ears (which is completely understandable) then you can simply cut the kernels off the cob and lightly toast them in a pan on high heat until they become brown and crispy.

 

 

I wanted this chaat to be reminiscent of a mexican corn elote so I added in some mayo, lime juice, chili powder, and paprika. But at the end of the day, it still is a chaat so I of course had to to add in some sev, bel puri mix, and of course chaat masala. I also added in some black pepper, chilli powder, cumin, and amchur powder.

 

 

 

And that’s literally it.  Sometimes the best recipes are the most simple.

You can eat this in a bowl with a spoon, off the cob, or with tortilla chips.

Make this corn chaat for your next summer cook-out and watch it be gone within seconds!

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Corn Chaat

A sweet, savory, and crunchy chaat made with roasted corn. A delightful Indian street food.

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 7 corn ears (about 6 cups)
  • 3/4 cup sev and/or bhel puri mix
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 3/4 tsp amchur powder
  • 3/4 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chaat masala
  • 3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • lime juice (to taste)
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Add your corn ears to a large pot of boiling water. Allow corn to boil for about 20 minutes or so, or until no longer raw.

  2. Drain and remove corn ears from water. If you have a grill ready, you can set them on the bbq and allow them to char on all sides evenly. If you are not using an outdoor grill, you may use an indoor one or simply cut the kernels off the cob and lightly toast them in a hot pan until brown and crisp. 

  3. Once you cut the corn kernels (allow corn to cool first before handling), combine the mayo, spices, lime juice, cilantro, and salt. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Your corn chaat is ready to serve!