Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. desiccated coconut

1 tsp. cumin seeds

2 tbsp. sugar

¹⁄₂ small pineapple (about 11 oz.), peeled and cut into 1" pieces

1 tbsp. canola oil

¹⁄₂ tsp. brown mustard seeds

10 fresh or frozen curry leaves

3 dried chiles de árbol

1 cup plain full-fat yogurt

3 small green Indian chiles or 1 serrano, minced

Kosher salt, to taste

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Instructions

Step 1

Place coconut and cumin in a spice grinder; grind into a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 tbsp. water; set paste aside.

Step 2

Bring sugar, pineapple, and ½ cup water to a simmer in a 12” nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add reserved coconut paste and cook until fragrant, 2–3 minutes; let cool.

Step 3

Heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard; cook until seeds begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add curry leaves and dried chiles; cook until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Stir whole spices, yogurt, chopped chiles, and salt into pineapple mixture.

Place coconut and cumin in a spice grinder; grind into a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 tbsp. water; set paste aside.

Recipes

Kaitha Chaka Pachadi (Spicy Pineapple Yogurt)

Name: Kaitha Chaka Pachadi (Spicy Pineapple Yogurt)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: makes 2 CUPS
Ingredients: 1 1 ⁄ 2 tbsp. desiccated coconut; 1 tsp. cumin seeds; 2 tbsp. sugar; 1 ⁄ 2 small pineapple (about 11 oz.), peeled and cut into 1" pieces; 1 tbsp. canola oil; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. brown mustard seeds; 10 fresh or frozen curry leaves; 3 dried chiles de árbol; 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt; 3 small green Indian chiles or 1 serrano, minced; Kosher salt, to taste

Serves
makes 2 CUPS

INGALLS PHOTOGRAPHY

At the Indian table, yogurt-based raitas mollify the tongue-searing effect of chiles. This spicy-sweet pineapple raita from Kerala has a backbone of earthy spice thanks to a mix of black mustard seeds, dried red chiles, and curry leaves. Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's A Taste of India (Wiley, 1988), it first appeared in our August/September 2014 special India issue with Mari Uyehara's story Supporting Cast.

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. desiccated coconut
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tbsp. sugar
¹⁄₂ small pineapple (about 11 oz.), peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 tbsp. canola oil
¹⁄₂ tsp. brown mustard seeds
10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
3 dried chiles de árbol
1 cup plain full-fat yogurt
3 small green Indian chiles or 1 serrano, minced
Kosher salt, to taste

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Instructions

Step 1

Place coconut and cumin in a spice grinder; grind into a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 tbsp. water; set paste aside.

Step 2

Step 3

Place coconut and cumin in a spice grinder; grind into a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 tbsp. water; set paste aside.
Bring sugar, pineapple, and ½ cup water to a simmer in a 12” nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add reserved coconut paste and cook until fragrant, 2–3 minutes; let cool.
Heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard; cook until seeds begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add curry leaves and dried chiles; cook until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Stir whole spices, yogurt, chopped chiles, and salt into pineapple mixture.