What Is Aloo Achar?
Aloo Achar (आलु अचार) is one of Nepal’s most popular side dishes — boiled potatoes tossed in a tangy, spiced dressing with sesame seeds, mustard oil, and timur. It’s served at Nepali festivals, family gatherings, and everyday meals alike, and is one of the first dishes Nepali children learn to make.
Unlike Indian potato dishes that are usually cooked in a sauce, Nepali Aloo Achar is more like a dressed salad — eaten at room temperature, packed with flavour, and incredibly quick to make.
Ingredients for Aloo Achar (Serves 4)
- 4 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (til), toasted
- 1–2 tsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- 2 green chillies, finely sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp timur (Nepali Sichuan pepper), crushed — highly recommended
- Fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi) for tempering — optional
How to Make Aloo Achar — Step by Step
Step 1: Boil the Potatoes
Boil potatoes in salted water until just tender — around 15–20 minutes. Don’t overcook or they’ll become mushy. Drain and allow to cool slightly, then cut into quarters or bite-sized chunks.
Step 2: Toast the Sesame Seeds
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast sesame seeds for 2–3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a pestle and mortar or small blender and grind to a coarse powder. This is the flavour backbone of Aloo Achar.
Step 3: Make the Dressing
In a large bowl, combine:
- Ground sesame seeds
- Turmeric powder
- Chilli powder
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Crushed timur
Mix to a paste.
Step 4: Toss the Potatoes
Add the warm potato chunks to the bowl and toss gently to coat in the sesame dressing. The warmth of the potatoes helps them absorb the flavours.
Step 5: Add the Aromatics
Add sliced green chillies, spring onion, and fresh coriander. Drizzle over the mustard oil and toss again.
Step 6: Optional Fenugreek Tarka
For extra depth, heat a teaspoon of mustard oil in a small pan until smoking, add a pinch of fenugreek seeds and let them turn dark (almost black) — then pour this tarka directly over the achar and mix through. This adds a slightly bitter, nutty edge that many Nepalis love.
Step 7: Taste and Serve
Adjust salt, lemon, and chilli to taste. Aloo Achar is best served at room temperature — not straight from the fridge.
How to Serve Aloo Achar
- ✅ As a side dish with dal bhat
- ✅ With chiura (beaten rice) — the classic combination at Dashain and Tihar
- ✅ Alongside momo as a cold side
- ✅ As part of a Nepali thali spread
- ✅ On its own as a light snack or starter
Aloo Achar vs Alu Tama — What’s the Difference?
Both are classic Nepali potato dishes but very different in character. Aloo Achar is a cold dressed salad — tangy, sesame-forward, and quick to make. Alu Tama is a hot curry with fermented bamboo shoots — earthy, soupy, and slow-cooked. Both are essential Nepali dishes worth knowing.
Tips for the Best Aloo Achar
- Use waxy potatoes like Charlotte or new potatoes — they hold their shape better than floury varieties
- Don’t skip timur — the numbing citrus tingle is what makes this unmistakably Nepali
- Sesame is key — freshly toasted and ground sesame gives far more flavour than pre-ground
- Make ahead: Aloo Achar improves as it sits — make 1–2 hours before serving
- Festival tip: For Dashain and Tihar, double or triple the recipe — it’s always the first dish to run out
Where to Buy Aloo Achar Ingredients in the UK
Timur, mustard oil, and fenugreek seeds are rarely stocked in mainstream UK supermarkets. At MasalaMart we stock all the authentic Nepali ingredients you need for Aloo Achar, delivered across the UK.
Shop Aloo Achar Ingredients at MasalaMart → — free UK delivery on orders over £50.