Monica Bhide I was so pleased that the Chicago Tribune chose to run this recipe from Modern Spice !!! It really is a wonderful recipe and all the credit (and this photo) goes to the lovely chef –Chef Stefan Jarausch – who shared his recipe with me. So here you go —
What Chicago Tribune’s Bill Daley said about the recipe: “Believe me, this relish will give cranberry sauce a run for its money.” Here is his cover story on the topic of relishes.
Pineapple-Lentil relish
(From Modern Spice by Monica Bhide (Simon & Schuster, 2009)
Prep:10 minutes. Cook: 35 minutes. Makes: 2 1/4 cups (serving size is 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons per person)
1 cup dried red lentils
3 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup superfine sugar
3 tablespoons plus 2 drops fresh lemon juice
2 cups canned crushed pineapple with juice
1 piece (1/2-inch long) ginger root, peeled, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Red chili powder or red chili flakes
Bring the lentils and 3 cups of water to a rolling boil over high heat in a deep saucepan. Scum will form on the surface; skim with spoon, discard. Boil lentils for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Drain, set aside.
While the lentils are cooking, prepare the pineapple mixture. Combine the sugar, 1/4 cup water and two drops of lemon juice in an 8- to 10-inch nonreactive skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the syrup turns a light brown.
Add the pineapple, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, ginger and cumin. Reduce the heat; simmer slowly until all remaining liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistency and has almost evaporated, about 25 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add the lentils to the pineapple mixture. Warm through; season with salt and chili powder as desired. Serve warm.
Looks gorgeous! We have a lot of great fruit in Egypt, and I want to learn to use them more my savory cooking.
Oh my gosh, is this stuff GOOD! I made it today and could hardly keep my spoon out of the bowl, waiting for it to cool. I’m going to serve it on some grilled swordfish steaks, for dinner. Monica, I’m going to have to buy your cookbook now! I’m a serious fan henceforth! I write a food blog too, and will post the recipe sometime soon (giving you all the credit and a link). Thanks so much for this great, easy recipe.
I made this a few times since you posted it. My favorite ways to use it are as a burger condiment and also a ham sandwich condiment.
I love the flavor combination of pineapple and cumin. So, so divine!!