GRANNY SMITH GOES TO HEAVEN!

A perfect recipe for apple thokku ( chutney or relish) South Indian style.

Ingredients

12 large Granny Smith Apples
2 large Fuji, Gala or Pink Lady Apples
12 fresh Serrano or Thai peppers
14 tsp sea salt or table salt
1 cup virgin raw sesame oil (light)
3 cups canola or vegetable oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
6 dried chilies
4 tsp turmeric powder
12 tsp coarse chili powder
1 tsp asafetida (lightly fried and ground)
3 tsp fenugreek seeds (toasted dark and ground)
2 tbsp white sugar


Ø Heat a small cast iron pan on the stove and dry roast the fenugreek seeds. Stir constantly until the seeds begin to splutter and spin and turn dark brown. Remove from heat when you see a light smoke and immediately transfer the roasted seeds to a cup. Allow them to cool and then grind them to a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or a small electric grinder.
Ø Peel and core the apples and grate them coarsely using a hand-held grater or a Molinex grater. The coarser the shreds the more texture you will have in the final product.
Ø Slice the Serrano or Thai Peppers lengthwise into inch long pieces
Ø Heat the sesame oil in a large heavy bottom 6 quart sauté pan
Ø Add mustard seeds and allow to sputter for a few seconds
Ø Add dried chilies broken into large pieces and stir
Ø Add the turmeric and asafetida. As soon as they are fried add the fenugreek powder and all the other dry ingredients and stir for 1 minute.
Ø Add the cut ingredients and heat over a medium flame while stirring gently and frequently until the mix comes to a boil.
Ø Add sugar and stir in.
Ø Continue stirring constantly until the apple juice begins to thicken and the entire mixture gets to a jam like consistency.
Ø Remove from heat and allow it to cool uncovered.
Ø Spoon into canning bottles.
Ø Refrigerate
Ø Send a jar or two to Shankar


HINTS
ü Use large apples and prepare them quickly before the apples begin to darken.
ü Make sure you have all the other ingredients prepared before peeling the apples.
ü If you do not have asafetida pieces use powder but increase the quantity by one tsp.
ü Use light sesame oil.
ü Do not use the dark toasted sesame oil that you get in Chinese or Japanese markets.

Rhapsody with Lemons

A simple but delicious recipe for making lemon pickles right in your kitchen.
First concocted in fond memory of my grandmother - Rukmini Krishamurthi.

Ingredients
12 – 14 fresh lemons
2 large segments of tender fresh ginger
12 fresh jalapeno peppers
16 fresh Serrano or Thai peppers
18-20 tsp sea salt or table salt
4 cups virgin raw sesame oil (light)
2 tsp mustard seeds
6 dried chillies
6 tsp turmeric powder
16 tsp coarse chili powder
3 tsp asafoetida (lightly fried and ground)
3 tsp fenugreek seeds (toasted dark and ground)
2 tbsp white sugar

Ø Cut the lemons, ginger and chilies making sure to use a clean and dry knife and surface.
a. First slice off a bit near the stem
b. Then into 8 segments each by cutting each into half and then each half into four quarters.
c. Peel, slice and cut the ginger stems into 1cm pieces.
d. Slice the jalapeno’s lengthwise and remove the seeds
e. Chop the Serrano’s into 5mm pieces

Ø Layer the lemons, chilies and ginger into a large glass or ceramic bowl sprinkling the salt liberally over each layer.
Ø Allow this to marinade for five days on a cool shelf. Keep it covered but stir once a day with a clean and dry spoon or spatula
Ø Heat the sesame oil in a large heavy bottom 6 quart sauté pan
Ø Add mustard seed and allow to sputter for a few seconds
Ø Add dried chillies broken into large pieces and stir
Ø Add the turmeric and asafetida. As soon as they are fried add all the other dry ingredients and stir for about 1 minute.
Ø Add the cut ingredients and heat over a medium flame while stirring gently and frequently until the mix comes to a boil.
Ø Add sugar and stir in.
Ø Remove from heat and allow to cool uncovered.
Ø Spoon into canning bottles.
Ø Refrigerate
Ø Send a jar or two to Shankar


HINTS
Use the freshest possible ingredients.
Get the tenderest bits of ginger you can find and the freshest of chilies.
If you do not have asafoetida pieces use powder but increase amount by one tsp.
Use best quality sesame oil but for a lighter taste you can use half sesame and half canola oil.