Suvir Saran: American Masala for Diwali

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Super Chef recently received an email message from Suvir Saran reminding us that Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is on October 28th. Suvir writes, "The holiday symbolizes for us the vanquishing of ignorance that overwhelms human life and spirit, and the driving away of darkness with the light of knowledge and hope. We celebrate Diwali in order to embrace hope and the positive values of this life, and to leave behind those thoughts and memories that cloud us in darkness." Those are much needed optimistic ideas in a time of economic gloom around the world. Diwali also translates into good food. Suvir passed along a recipe for Diwali: Jackfruit in a Spiced Tomato Sauce Kathal Kee Sabzi Serves 4 This is one of my father and sister's favorite dishes. I remember my father playing a joke on family friends who ate meat; he'd invite them over for dinner and tell them that for this night alone, he was breaking his rule of no meat in the house to serve a chicken curry, especially for them. The friends, suspicious of my jokester father, couldn't figure out what they were eating. It didn't taste like chicken...but it couldn't be a vegetable either, could it? The truth is that jackfruit has such a dense, meaty texture and mild flavor that, with sauce, it's very hard to tell exactly what it is. You can find jackfruit fresh in Indian or some Caribbean grocers, or canned in Indian stores; canned works perfectly well in this recipe. I also make a jackfruit biriyani with this recipe, layering it with par-cooked rice just as in other biriyani recipes. The warm spices of the tomato sauce tastes lovely with the rice and the meaty texture of the vegetable is such that it tastes satisfyingly like a chicken and rice dish! Canned jackfruit works perfectly well in the biriyani, too. Ingredients: 1-1/2 pounds jackfruit (about 1) 3 tablespoons canola oil, plus extra for deep-frying 1-1/2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated 3 medium red onions, finely chopped in the food processor 2 teaspoons salt 2 medium garlic cloves 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 ripe tomatoes, pureed in a food processor 1/4 cup tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 1/2 fresh hot green chili, minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro Juice of 1/2 lemon Directions: Using a mortar and pestle or an electric spice grinder, grind the garlic to a paste with the whole cumin seeds To prepare the jackfruit, first coat the blades of both a large chef's knife and a paring knife with oil. (The flesh of jackfruit is sticky and the oil will make it easier to cut through it.) With the chef's knife, cut off the stem end and then cut the jackfruit in half lengthwise through the stem end. Cut each half in half, lengthwise again through the stem end. Then use the paring knife to cut off all of the prickly brown skin. Cut the flesh into 1-1/2- to 2- inch chunks. Heat 1-1/2 to 2 inches of oil in a deep saucepan or kadai to 360°F over medium-high heat. (To gauge the temperature of the oil without using a thermometer, drop a piece of bread about 1-inch square into the hot oil; when the oil reaches 360°F, the bread should float to the surface of the oil and turn a golden brown color in about 45 seconds.) Carefully slide about half of the jackfruit pieces into the oil and deep fry, turning every now and then with a slotted spoon, until golden brown all over, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Fry and drain the remaining jackfruit. Set aside. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a large wok, kadai, or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic paste and cook, stirring, until the raw smell disappears, about 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Now add 1 tablespoon of water and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to stick, about 1 more minute. Add the fresh tomato puree and tomato paste, and stir to combine. Then stir in 1 cup of water, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the garam masala. Carefully fold in the jackfruit (it will break up into bits if you stir too vigorously). Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring gently, 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped chili and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro. Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt. Spoon into a serving dish, sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of cilantro, and serve hot. He is also putting his good taste behind some beautiful tableware. Super Chef especially liked his mortar and pestle, with its wide pestle to easily smash cumin and garlic in the recipe above. We also liked his trivet and tray, one to go under a hot dish, and one to serve it. The bright colors will set off any dish, and bring the sparkle of Diwali fireworks to the table – you supply the candlelight. He is introducing a ceramic knife set soon. His American Masala line of tableware would make excellent host or hostess gifts…did anyone say Thanksgiving? Previous articles: Sodexho Signs Suvir Saran Indian Chefs on Indian Mangoes Mangoes Gone Nuclear Suvir Saran: Inside Veda CHEF PROFILE: Suvir Saran - Super Chef Suvir Saran: Behold Veda to the East Suvir Saran Spins Indian Home Cooking Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef