There are some dishes you don’t just eat. You come home to them. Chhurpi ko achar is one of those for me.
I grew up in Gangtok, where winters arrived quietly and stayed long. The cold found its way into everything. Our hands, our breath, our school mornings. This chhurpi ko achar felt like a warm hug on those chilly days. Plus it was an easy fix, very few ingredients and was ready in no time.
Tomatoes softened slowly in oil, onions turned translucent, and garlic filled the room with warmth. Then came the chhurpi, cooked and never raw, softening just enough while still holding its chew. It soaked up the tang of tomatoes and the sharpness of garlic. No fuss. No measurements. Just instinct.
A note on soft chhurpi
Soft chhurpi is a fresh, lightly fermented Himalayan cheese, traditionally made from cow or yak milk. Unlike the hard (brown) chhurpi that is meant to be chewed for hours, soft chhurpi is tender and pliable. When cooked, it softens further and absorbs flavours beautifully. It has a gentle tang, a milky depth, and a comforting richness that makes it perfect for achars, stir fries, and curries.
On cold afternoons, when fog pressed against the windows and the hills disappeared into mist, this achar sat quietly at the center of the table. Eaten with hot rice or freshly made rotis, it warmed you from the inside. Also, Chhurpi ko Achar was my number one request anytime I visited my friends places for lunch during our winter vacations.
That’s the thing about mountain food it does not try to impress. It feeds you because it always has. Through cold seasons, long days, and limited supplies. Chhurpi comes from that same wisdom. It preserves milk, stretches nourishment, and makes food last. When cooked into an achar like this, it becomes more than an ingredient. It becomes a memory.
Even now, far from those winter evenings, this dish takes me back. To foggy mornings, to the sound of pots on the stove, the warmth of my mountain home and loads of memories. It reminds me that comfort does not need to be elaborate. Sometimes all it needs is a pan, a few humble ingredients, and the love that comes from feeding your own.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chhurpi (can use crumbled paneer)
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely sliced
- 5–6 garlic cloves, finely chopped/grated
- 2 tbsp Gramiyaa Wood Cold Pressed Mustard Oil
- Salt to taste
- 1–2 green chillies (slit, can add more based on your chilli tolerance)
Method
- Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and green chillies and sauté till fragrant.
- Add onions and cook until soft and lightly golden.
- Add tomatoes and salt. Cook till tomatoes break down and the oil starts to separate.
- Add the chhurpi(or crumbled paneer). Mix well and cook for another 5–7 minutes on low heat.
- Adjust salt, switch off, and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Serve warm with steamed rice or soft rotis with a drizzle of ghee, preferably on a cold day.
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