ALL ABOUT ANYAM’S ACHAAR
We all love Chai Wallah over here — not a day goes by that we don’t serve an impeccable chai and say (if only in our hearts), “This is a darn good chai and we are so glad to be serving it.” Chai Wallah not only makes chai that you just want to curl up and take a nap in, but also partnered with The Nashville Food Project to create a complex tomato condiment that we want to smear on almost everything.
The appearance of Achaar Avocado Toast comes around every year in late winter/early spring and it’s one of our favorite times of the year. (And, don’t fret, even if you don’t live close by, we’ve got the Achaar Avocado Toast recipe below so you can enjoy the magic too.)
If you’ve tried it, you know that not a day goes by that we don’t say (if only in our hearts), “This is darn good achaar and if everyone could just have one bite of this, surely the world would be a better place.”
In honor of our favorite condiment, we wanted to share a bit of the backstory behind what makes this achaar so special.
Mark and Tasha, founders and operators of Chai Wallah, shared the story of Anyam’s Achaar with us:
When we started Chai Wallah, it was about two things: brewing a delicious cup of spicy, aromatic, authentic Indian tea and doing some good for our community.
As we learned about The Nashville Food Project and their Growing Together program we wanted to to find a way to join them in their mission of creating urban agricultural jobs for refugees from Bhutan and Burma. But you can't grow tea in Middle Tennessee.
One thing we love at home is a jar of southeast asian "pickle," also called "achaar." It's tart, hot, spicy and goes great on daal, vegetables, or just plain basmati rice with yogurt.
So we worked with The Nashville Food Project to source tomatoes (and got a cooking lesson from some of the Bhutanese refugee farmers that they partner with.) After tasting and cooking all the achaars we could find, what we came up with is a classic Indian achaar with tamarind, fenugreek, and garlic. We call it "Anyam's Achaar" and it's currently available at Crema on Avocado Toast and in jars.
For every batch, we source tomatoes from Growing Together.”
We’ve been carrying Anyam's Achaar jars and featuring it on that special avocado toast for a few years. Whether you’re a Nashville local or a far-away friend, we’re excited to announce that you can get Achaar wherever you are. It’s available in our cafes and online, so you can get your fix year round.
Once you’ve procured a jar, you can use it to make all these tasty recipes developed by our dear friend and Certified Natural Chef, Courtney Whitsett.
ACHAAR AVOCADO TOAST
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 pieces of your favorite hearty toast
1 Avocado
2-4 TBSP Goat Cheese Feta (we love Noble Springs Dairy)
A small wedge of lemon
A pinch of salt
1-2 tsp Anyam’s Achaar (plus some oil from the jar)
Cilantro microgreens (or some chopped cilantro leaves)
Directions
Toast your toast to your liking.
Smear a thin layer of Achaar straight on your warm toast.
Cut your avocado in half and scoop out each half onto each piece of toast. Roughly smash with a fork until it covers the whole toast.
Sprinkle a generous amount of the feta over the toast. Squeeze lemon wedge, sprinkle salt and drizzle a tiny bit of oil from your achaar jar over the toast.
Top with bits of cilantro mircogreens or chopped cilantro and eat it up!
SCRAMBLED EGGS
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 eggs
1-2 tsp Anyam’s Achaar
1/4 tsp of sea salt + pinch black pepper
Oil/Fat of choice to cook in (ghee, butter, coconut oil, etc)
Optional: Avocado and Greens for serving
Directions
Preheat pan over medium heat and add enough of your cooking fat to coat the bottom of the pan.
Beat eggs, achaar, sea salt & pepper until combined.
Pour eggs into the pan and fold over themselves until they are mostly cooked.
Remove from heat 30 seconds before you think eggs are done and allow them to finish cooking in the heated pan before serving.
Serve with avocado and micro greens (and more Achaar, if you’re really feelin’ it!)
STUFFED ZUCCHINI
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
2 large zucchini
8 oz ground meat of your choice (or crumbled tempeh for a vegan option)
1 TBSP Anyam’s Achaar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/8 tsp cardamom
Cilantro leaves for garnish/deliciousness
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice Zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeded middle.
In a sauté pan on the stovetop, heat up 1/2 TBS cooking oil over medium-high heat. Once warm, add ground meat or tempeh.
Add the spices as the meat/tempeh browns.
Remove from heat and add the achaar to your stovetop mixture.
Spoon the meat/tempeh mixture into your zucchini boats and place on a baking sheet or in a glass baking dish.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until zucchini is tender, but not falling apart.
Remove from oven, garnish with cilantro and enjoy!
SPICY TOMATO SALAD DRESSING
Makes about ½ cup
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBS Brown Rice Vinegar (or Apple Cider Vinegar)
1/2 TBS Anyam’s Achaar
Juice of 1/2 lime (~2 tsp)
1/2 tsp honey
Pinch sea salt + black pepper
Optional: Add 1 TBSP Tahini if you want it to be a creamy-style dressing
Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor or jar and blitz/shake until well-combined. (If using tahini, you may have to add a little water to thin out)
Pour over salad ingredients and toss to coat; ENJOY!
← Older post Newer post →
