Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Try these recipes
Looking to liven up your own condiment selection? Try some of these flavorful options for adding a bit of zip to your salads, meats, pasta and seafood.
Tamarind chutney
Chutneys such as this not only make a wonderful and traditional accompaniment to Indian food, but also work well as a dipping sauce for tortilla chips and as a glaze for ham or duck.
Start to finish: 5 minutes
Makes 12 cup
14 cup tamarind pulp
14 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. cayenne
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients with about 2 tablespoons boiling water. Whisk until the sugar is comepletely dissolved. Serve warm or let cool and refrigerate in an airtight container. Stir well before using.
Wasabi mayonnaise
This mayonnaise has touches of sweet and heat and is nice with crab cakes and mixed into tuna salad.
Start to finish: 5 minutes
Makes 12 cup
13 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. wasabi paste or powder
2 Tbsp. honey
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk well to combine. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Spicy peanut sauce
Spicy peanut sauce traditionally is tossed with warm noodles. It also can be mixed into cold pasta salads or used as a spread on sandwiches with turkey, roast beef and chicken.
Start to finish: 10 minutes
Makes 1 cup
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
12 cup ground unsalted peanuts or creamy peanut butter
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. tamarind pulp or juice
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
12 cup canned unsweet- ened coconut milk
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until soft, about 1 minute. Do not allow garlic to burn. Add remaining ingredients, stir and bring to a boil. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow to cool.
Sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to a week.
Recipes from Nirmala Narine's "In Nirmala's Kitchen," Lake Isle Press, 2006, $19.95
