In India, without the sweet and spicy “achar,” the essence of delicious food is missing. Interestingly, pickles are a crucial element of our traditional Thalis when it comes to our Indian cuisine history. The multitude of varieties we have can determine our affection for pickles! Indeed, each area in India has a distinct picking variety, which has some or other reminiscence to characterise that pleasure’s gourmet trip.
It is hardly an exaggeration to state that achaar or pickle is the ideal complement to any meal. The tempting flavours of pickles combine well with different meals. Whether it’s for your parathas or for basic dal chawal, you can pickle most meals. From mild to very hot, depending on culture and state, you will discover different sorts of pickles. Some have had their own family achar recipes for centuries, and others might buy a bottle from the grocery store. A bottle of pickle is always present in our houses, in one form or another.
Well, the most wonderful item, especially in Indian pickles, is the Achar Masala. Well, you agree or not. No doubt, any fruit or veggie may be transformed into lip-smoking aromatic achar by mixing spices. Any bold and uninteresting food can be enhanced by the charming arôme and good flavour. However, once the pickle is gone, many of us are left wondering what to do with the remaining oil and masala. Even though the masala is yummy, consuming it directly might irritate your throat. The solution is simple for most of us: just toss it!
Have you ever considered reusing this great spice mix to make your food interesting? Well, if you haven’t, we have some fantastic ideas for adding the pickle masala to your meals. We’ll look at those in this piece, but we’ll first see what Achari Masala is.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!!
What is Achar Masala?
Masala, the blend of ground spices, may be the most frequent and easiest approach to adding taste to foods using whole spices. Masala Pickle is one of the most famous mixtures of Indian spices. It is used mostly to flavour a variety of Indian pickles. The achar masala gives the taste in some achar, while in some it gives the colour. However, in any Indian Pickle, it is a crucial component.
Pickle Masala is an Indian spice mix that is vegan-gluten-free, mostly used to flavour the pickles. The so-called achar masala is well recognised. Without a teaspoon of this Achaar Masala, the robust, spicy, blazing, sweet-sour Indian pickles are incomplete.
You can get ready-made achar masala at Vasant Masala’s e-store. You can also find the sweet achar masala there, as some Gujarati-style Pickles are sweet.
Now let’s see how you can use leftover achar masala in simple Indian recipes:
Achari Recipes
Achari Fries:
Have you ever considered creating this hybrid meal using a couple of spoons of masala from your leftover pickle and fries? This time, give it a go; it just could become your new favourite snack. After the fries are ready, just add a spoonful of achar masala and mix it properly. Your delicious achar flavour fries are now ready.
Achari Rice:
Put in it all, and it’ll taste fantastic. This combo is created for you if you are a rice lover. Just add some veggies, stir fry, and then some remaining achar masala. Add your choice of cooked rice and stir the mixture thoroughly. The achari rice is now ready to be devoured.
Achari Paratha Roll:
We absolutely love this, and you can make it at home. To complement the flavour of your rolls, you can blend this masala with some tikka boti, pudina chutney, and possibly some baked paneer? Who can say no to paneer? We sure as hell cannot. This custom-made Paratha Roll will be superior to all your regular burritos.
Homemade Chutneys:
Making your own chutney is easy! Just puree your chutney and add a tablespoon of the leftover achar masala while you temper it, rather than adding other acidic powders or lime juice. In this variant, a tablespoon of masala is enough to kick-start the flavour.
Achari Vegetable Dish:
This vegetable dish is the solution that will improve your days when you eat vegetables at home. By adding a dash of achar masala to any vegetable dish, you make it the tastiest version. The combination of spiciness and tanginess will make it so delicious.
Achari Parathas:
This achari paratha excites us tremendously! If using mashed veggies, mix them and finely mash them before adding a tablespoon of pickle masala. Alternatively, you can make parathas by kneading the dough with a spoonful of leftover pickle masala. This combination has just enough oil and spice to make delicious parathas worthy of every calorie.
Achari Mathri:
This snack is popular across India; you may have it with your morning tea, evening snack, or at any time of day. The crunchiness on the surface and the soft layer of mathri on the inside are ideal, and you may experiment with other flavours. Achari mathri is one such flavour that leaves a tangy aftertaste on your tongue. Just add a spoonful of achar masala to the mixture.
Achari Puri:
Who doesn’t enjoy having puris? Puris are fluffy, crunchy, and soft and may be served with virtually anything. Puris, most commonly associated with aloo ki sabzi or chole, have become a family favourite. To create the achari puri, combine the remaining pickle masala with the dough and knead until combined. Then fry and eat!
Make Your Snacks Interesting:
With the remaining pickle masalas, you may create wonderful samosas, kachoris, and mathris by using them as a filler or by mixing them with the ingredients. Make a stuffing out of it or knead it into a dough. Whatever method you use, your treats will taste divine.
Add a Splash of Flavour to Your Sabzis:
Yes, you can now add a touch of achar masala to your monotonous curries and sabzis to transform them into something wonderful. The combination of spicy and tangy flavours will enhance your dining experience.
Use it as a Spread:
Make your sandwiches more interesting by using this wonderful pickle masala as a spread and producing great Indian-style sandwiches or idli sandwiches. To enhance the flavour of your sandwiches, combine this masala with some pudina chutney and top with tandoori paneer to wow your loved ones with a wonderful homemade sandwich.
Achari Paneer Tikka:
Paneer Tikka is a popular snack across all age groups; whether it’s for a dinner party or a lunch with friends, paneer tikka is always a success. If you’re looking for a restaurant-style paneer tikka, consider preparing an achari paneer tikka next time! You can add achar masala to the dahi batter that you soak your paneer in.
We also have some clever use of pickle juice; let’s have a look at those-
- Simply re-use it! Hard-boiled eggs, onions, garlic, and other soft vegetables can all be brined with the leftover pickle juice.
- Boiled potatoes can be boring. Make them more interesting by adding a generous quantity of pickle juice to the water—it will give those potatoes a vinegary zing.
- If store-bought barbecue sauce isn’t doing it for you, add a tablespoon of pickle juice to taste.
- With a few dashes of this stuff, you can transform boring hummus into something more exciting.
- You don’t want to eat it? Copper pans are a pain in the butt to clean, but you can make them shine by scrubbing them with pickle juice.
- Weeds are a hassle, so get rid of them in your garden by dousing them in pickle juice. All that vinegar and salt is work on them.
- Recycle store-bought or homemade pickle juice to produce a new batch of pickles.
- If drinking brine directly from the jar or as a frozen pop is too much for you, dilute it with non-alcoholic beverages.
- If you’re starting to catch a cold, a shot of tonic or ginger switchel may assist. Their fiery, hot characters will undoubtedly cleanse your sinuses.
Now that you know how you can use your leftover achar masala and juice, don’t let it go to waste. Try all these techniques and share your experience with us.