Indian Vegetarian Recipes
ginger chutney recipe | allam pachadi recipe | allam chutney
https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/ginger-chutney-allam-pachadi/
there are some andhra recipes which are a favorite with us and this ginger chutney is one of them. there are many ways a ginger chutney is made. i am sharing the recipe which i make at times to go with idli or dosa. this ginger chutney is a no onion no garlic recipe.
how to make ginger chutney
ginger chutney is made in a similar way various vegetable chutneys from the south indian cuisine are made. ginger is sauteed with a few spices and then ground with tamarind pulp and jaggery. this ground chutney is then later tempered with some spices and herbs.
tips for making ginger chutney
- type of ginger
use fresh and tender ginger. avoid ginger which is fibrous and heavy. ripe or mature ginger can make the chutney taste bitter. - cooking ginger less vs more
the ginger just need to be sauteed lightly when making this chutney. so you don’t need to brown or overcook the ginger. frying ginger too much can also make the chutney taste bitter. - jaggery substitutes
add sugar or unrefined cane sugar or palm sugar or coconut jaggery instead of jaggery. - to temper or not to temper
you can skip tempering toward the end and it is an optional step. without tempering also the allam chutney tastes good. - which oil to be used
you can use sunflower oil or peanut oil or any neutral tasting oil. - can ginger chutney recipe be halved or doubled ?
yes you can halve or double the recipe - substitute for tamarind ?
tamarind has this typical sour taste that cannot be the same if you use lemon juice or dry mango powder. yet if you do not have tamarind, then you can add lemon juice. - remedy for ginger chutney becoming bitter
add some more tamarind pulp if the chutney becomes bitter. the sourness of the tamarind pulp will balance the bitterness in the ginger chutney. you may also need to add some more jaggery if required. usually, the bitterness is felt for the first day, but after refrigerating the chutney, the bitterness mellow down and you do not get to taste it. - storing ginger chutney
leftover chutney can be stored in an air-tight jar in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
what is served with ginger chutney ?
ginger chutney is best served with idli, dosa, set dosa, pesarattu, dibba roti and even medu vada. you can also have this chutney with bread or rotis as a side dish. allam pachadi can also be served with steamed rice.
few more chutney recipes on blog are:
Prep Time:10 mins
Cook Time:5 mins
Total Time:15 mins
this andhra style ginger chutney is also called as allam pachadi or allam chutney. ginger chutney has a sweet, spicy and sour taste and accompanies idli, dosa or steamed rice very well.
Servings:3
Calories:107
INGREDIENTS FOR ginger chutney or allam pachadi
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
for tamarind pulp
- 1 tablespoon tamarind or 1 lemon sized tamarind (imli)
- ¼ cup hot water
main ingredients for allam pachadi
- 1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or peanut or any neutral tasting oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (husked and black gram)
- 2 dry kashmiri red chilies
- 10 small to medium sized curry leaves
- 1 to 2 pinches asafoetida (hing)
- ½ cup chopped ginger or 60 grams or 6 to 7 pieces of 2 inches ginger
- 2 pinches turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1.5 tablespoons jaggery or add as required
- 4 to 5 tablespoons water for grinding or add as required
for tempering allam pachadi
- 2 teaspoons oil – sunflower or peanut or any neutral tasting oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- ½ teaspoon urad dal (husked and black gram)
- 5 to 6 small to medium sized curry leaves
HOW TO MAKE ginger chutney or allam pachadi
preparation for ginger chutney
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take ¼ cup hot water in bowl. place 1 tablespoon tamarind in it.
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soak tamarind in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
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after 20 to 30 minutes, squeeze the tamarind pulp directly in the bowl containing water. extract as much pulp as you can. keep this tamarind pulp aside.
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meanwhile rinse 60 grams ginger or 6 to 7 pieces of 2-inch ginger very well in water. peel them.
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then chop them. you will need ½ cup chopped ginger. keep aside.
cooking ginger for making ginger chutney
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heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small kadai or pan. keep flame to low and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. let the mustard seeds begin to crackle.
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when the mustard seeds start crackling then add 1 teaspoon urad dal. stirring often fry urad dal.
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fry urad dal till the lentils turn golden.
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then add 2 dry kashmiri red chillies (broken and seeds removed) and 1 to 2 pinches asafoetida (hing). if the pan becomes too hot, then switch off the flame.
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quickly add 10 curry leaves.
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mix and fry till the red chilies change color. do not burn them. the curry leaves will also become crisp.
-
now add the chopped ginger. mix very well.
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add 2 pinches turmeric powder. mix again and saute on a low flame.
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sauté ginger pieces till their raw aroma goes away. do not sauté too much or brown the ginger.
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switch off the flame and keep the pan on kitchen counter-top. let this allam pachadi mixture cool down or become warm.
making allam pachadi
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then place all of the ginger chutney mixture in a grinder-jar. add the tamarind pulp.
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add 1.5 tablespoons jaggery or add as required. jaggery can be added less or more as per your taste buds and on the quality of tamarind. dark and aged tamarind is sourer and will need more jaggery.
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add 4 to 5 tablespoons water or as required and grind chutney to a smooth consistency.
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remove ginger chutney in steel bowl and keep aside.
tempering ginger chutney
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in a tadka pan or a small pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil. keep flame to a low. add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them begin to crackle.
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as the mustard seeds start crackling, add ½ teaspoon urad dal.
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stirring often fry urad dal till they turn golden.
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then add 5 to 6 curry leaves. stirring often fry them for a few seconds till they become crisp.
-
switch off flame and add the entire tempering mixture to the ginger chutney.
-
mix very well. check for taste of salt and if required you can add more salt in the allam chutney.
-
serve ginger chutney or allam pachadi with idli, dosa, pesarrattu or rice.
- use fresh and tender ginger. avoid ginger which is fibrous and heavy.
- frying ginger too much can also make the chutney taste bitter.
- you can add sugar or unrefined cane sugar or palm sugar or coconut jaggery instead of jaggery.
- you can easily halve or double ginger chutney recipe.
- if you do not have tamarind, then you can add lemon juice.
- leftover chutney can be stored in an air-tight jar in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- kashmiri red chillies do not make the chutney too spicy. if you using any other red chillies then add less or more depending on the spiciness in the chillies.
preparation for ginger chutney or allam pachadi
1. take ¼ cup hot water in bowl. place 1 tablespoon tamarind in it. soak tamarind in the hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. after 20 to 30 minutes, squeeze the tamarind pulp directly in the bowl containing water. extract as much pulp as you can. keep this tamarind pulp aside.
3. meanwhile rinse 60 grams ginger or 6 to 7 pieces of 2-inches ginger very well in water. peel them.
4. then chop them. you will need ½ cup chopped ginger. keep aside.
cooking ginger for allam chutney
5. heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small kadai or pan. keep flame to low and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. let the mustard seeds begin to crackle.
6. when the mustard seeds start crackling then add 1 teaspoon urad dal.
7. stirring often fry urad dal.
8. fry urad dal till the lentils turn golden.
9. then add 2 dry kashmiri red chillies (broken and seeds removed) and 1 to 2 pinches asafoetida (hing). if the pan becomes too hot, then switch off the flame. if using any other type of dry red chilli, then you can add less or more depending on the spiciness of the red chillies.
10. quickly add 10 curry leaves.
11. mix and fry for a few seconds till the red chilies change color. do not burn them. the curry leaves will also become crisp.
12. now add the chopped ginger.
13. mix very well.
14. add 2 pinches turmeric powder. mix again and saute on a low flame.
15. sauté ginger pieces for 1 to 2 minutes till their raw aroma goes away. do not sauté too much or brown the ginger.
16. switch off the flame and keep the pan on kitchen counter-top. let this allam pachadi mixture cool down or become warm.
making ginger chutney
17. then place all of the ginger chutney mixture in a grinder-jar. add the tamarind pulp.
18. add 1.5 tablespoons jaggery or add as required. jaggery can be added less or more as per your taste buds and on the quality of tamarind. dark and aged tamarind is sourer and will need more jaggery.
19. add salt as per taste.
20. add 4 to 5 tablespoons water or as required and grind chutney to a smooth consistency.
21. remove ginger chutney in steel bowl and keep aside.
tempering ginger chutney or allam chutney
22. in a tadka pan or a small pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil. keep flame to a low. add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them begin to crackle.
23. as the mustard seeds start crackling, add ½ teaspoon urad dal.
24. stirring often fry urad dal till they turn golden.
25. then add 5 to 6 curry leaves. stirring often fry them for a few seconds till they become crisp.
26. switch off flame and add the entire tempering mixture to the ginger chutney.
27. mix very well. check for taste of salt and if required you can add more salt in the allam chutney.
28. serve ginger chutney with idli, dosa, pesarattu or rice.
Indian Vegetarian Recipes
Paneer Tikka Masala
Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese), onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices, grilled and then tossed in a creamy tomato based curry. This dish goes extremely well with butter naan or paratha or basmati rice.
About This Recipe
You know the most famous Indian food in the world? It is Chicken Tikka Masala, at least that’s what I think. You talk to anyone in the UK or USA and even if they don’t know much about Indian food they definitely know about chicken tikka masala. I think the dish is synonyms with Indian food in the west. The vegetarian version of it is of course Paneer Tikka Masala which is also quite popular and you would find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants.
Growing up in India, I had never heard of paneer tikka masala. Sure, we had paneer tikka but adding it to a curry was unknown, at least to me. I remember watching a MasterChef India episode some 10 years back which had chef Vikas Khanna and chef Kunal Kapoor talking about the origin of this dish. They also shared a recipe and so this recipe is inspired from their version.
They of course shared the recipe for chicken tikka masala but I changed it to paneer tikka masala and also made few changes depending on my preferences and availability. This recipe uses curry powder which is a common spice mix in the west (again this spice mix doesn’t even exist in India) and it makes sense since this dish originated in the UK. There are stories of how a chef added cream sauce to chicken tikka to please the taste buds of British people and that’s where it originated from.
There are 2 parts to this recipe- the tikka part where paneer, onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices and then grilled. You can cook the tikka in tandoor, oven or in your pan. The other part of the recipe is the curry which is a smooth curry made with onions, tomatoes, cream and butter. The grilled tikka is added to the curry and then served as a main course with side of bread.
This Paneer Tikka Masala
- is super creamy, smooth.
- goes well with naan, paratha.
- makes a comforting meal.
- leftovers are great as well!
Ingredients
There are 2 parts to this recipe- the paneer tikka and the curry.
Paneer Tikka
Paneer: you can use either homemade or store bought paneer but whatever paneer you use, it should be firm and be able to hold it’s shape. You can find paneer at Indian grocery stores or make it at home.
Yogurt: for the marinade, it is best to use thick yogurt. Either use Greek yogurt or if using regular yogurt, use store bought yogurt which tends to be thicker than homemade yogurt. If using homemade yogurt, strain it using a muslin cloth for at least 3 to 4 hours to get rid of all the excess water.
Spices: the marinade uses coriander powder, garam masala, two types of chili powder, ginger-garlic and lime juice. You can also use fresh herbs like cilantro, mint.
The Masala/Curry
Curry base: the base is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic which is quite a staple for most creamy Indian curries. I like using white onion for that sweet, subtle flavor.
Spices: this paneer tikka masala recipe uses curry powder which is a mix of spices and is popular in the western world. It’s not so much popular in India actually, in fact I didn’t even know it existed until I moved out of India. If you don’t have it, you can use a blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric and ginger.
Flavor enhancers: to make the curry creamy, we finish the recipe with butter, cream and cilantro!
Step by Step Instructions
1- We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add yogurt (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon), make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe). To that add the following:
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- juice of 1/2 lime
2- Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
3- Now add 225 grams paneer (cubed into big cubes), 1 medium red onion (quartered and separated into petals) and 1 medium green pepper (cut into 1 inch cubes).
4- Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
5- Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1-inch cinnamon stick.
6- Let the seeds sizzle and then add 1 large white onion (roughly chopped), 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, chopped and 1-inch chopped ginger.
7- Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
8- Then add 3 large tomatoes (chopped) along with the following:
- 1& 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
9- Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
10- Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
11- Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.
12- Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.
Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
13- Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
14- Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
15- Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry.
16- Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve paneer tikka masala with the following:
- Butter Naan: nothing like fluffy, soft homemade naan to dip into the curry.
- Jeera rice: rice seasoned with cumin seeds makes the perfect pairing.
- Roti: you can never go wrong with the classic Indian everyday bread.
- Tandoori roti: another great bread to serve the curry with.
Vegan Variation
For a vegan version of this recipe you can do the following substitutions:
- use extra-firm tofu in place of paneer.
- marinate the tofu with thick coconut milk (use the top part from the can) or vegan yogurt (plain almond milk works well).
- replace butter with vegan butter.
- replace heavy cream with coconut milk.
Tips & Notes
- I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added toward the end for that nice aroma.
- If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
- You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
Frequently Asked Questions
No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.
Go for a mix of coriander powder, turmeric, cumin and ginger. For replacing 1 u0026 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in this recipe, I would probably use 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger.
They are both popular paneer recipes but the way you make them is different. For the tikka masala, we first marinate the paneer, grill it and then add to the curry. For the paneer makhani, the sauce is made with nuts, onions, tomatoes and then paneer pieces are added to it directly.
This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in April 2014. I have updated the recipe with better photos, videos and made slight modifications to make it better. The curry part of the recipe is same but I have added onions and peppers to the tikka part. If you wish to make it like the old recipe, just skip on the onions and peppers.
If you’ve tried this Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen and on YouTube to watch my latest videos.
Paneer Tikka Masala
Ingredients
Paneer Tikka
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp yogurt use thick plain whole milk yogurt which has been strained or Greek yogurt
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder for color
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
- 1/2 lime juice of
- 225 grams paneer cut into cubes
- 1 medium red onion quartered and separated into petals
- 1 medium green pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
Curry
- 1 tablespoon oil I used avocado oil, use oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons butter divided, unsalted or salted either works
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 large white onion roughly chopped, around 150 grams
- 3-4 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 3 large tomatoes roughly chopped, around 400 grams
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder divided (for color, not hot)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar I used granulated white sugar
- 1 cup water or more as needed
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream 30-45 ml
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
-
We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add thick yogurt, make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe or use Greek yogurt).
-
To that add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice of 1/2 lime.
Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
-
Now add cubed paneer, onion (quartered and separated into petals) and green pepper
Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
-
Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
-
Let the seeds sizzle and then add white onion (roughly chopped), chopped garlic cloves and chopped ginger. Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
-
Then add the roughly chopped tomatoes along with curry powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and sugar. Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
-
Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
-
Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.
Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.
Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
-
Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
-
Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cream and chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
-
Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.
Video
Notes
- I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added towards the end for that nice aroma.
- If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
- You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
- Older recipe: I have updated the recipe to make it better. The older recipe didn’t have onions and pepper added to the marinade and had a tablespoon of less butter in the curry. You can definitely use the old recipe, it’s almost same except these minor changes.
Nutrition
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