O, The Oprah Magazine – September 2019

Green Chile

and Cherry

To ma t o P i c k l e

Makes 4 servings

Total time: 5 minutes

2 Tbsp. olive oil

¼ tsp. fennel seeds

¼ tsp. nigella seeds

¼ tsp. cumin seeds

¼ tsp. black mustard seeds

¼ tsp. fenugreek seeds

¼ tsp. asafoetida (optional,

but it really brings the other

spices together)

4 long Indian green chiles

or serrano chiles, halved

lengthwise (no need to

remove stems)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

¾ tsp. kosher salt

1 Tbsp. lime juice (from about

½ lime)

1. In a large skillet over medium-
   high heat, warm oil. Once it begins
   to shimmer, toss in fennel, nigella,

cumin, black mustard, and

fenugreek, and cook until spices

look slightly browned and start to

sputter (watch the cumin—that’s

the best indicator), about 1 minute

max. Stir in asafoetida (if using),

then add chiles. Cook until chiles

brown and crisp on the sides,

about 2 minutes.

2. Turn off heat, mix in tomatoes,
   and immediately transfer to
   a serving bowl so tomatoes stop
   cooking. Gently mix in salt and
   lime juice. Serve warm or at room
   temperature.

Unlike achars that soak

for weeks, this one

won’t last in your fridge

forever. Finish it off

within a few days for the

tastiest—and safest—

results.

WHAT’S COOKING?

DINNER

PRESERVATIONS

Give tomato season

a proper send-off with

this f iery pickled

medley from Indian-ish

author Priya Krishna.

MAKING ACHAR, or pickled

fruits and vegetables, is a

long-standing Indian

tradition. As a girl, I remember

watching my great-aunt

combine oil, vegetables, and

a bunch of spices in a few

jars, then set them out to

marinate into a bright, briny

concoction during the

warmer months. This is my

mom’s shortcut version, which

can function either as a

condiment for rice and dal or

on its own as a tomato salad

with a big personality. The

blend of spices in the recipe is

called panch phoran, which

literally translates to “five

spice,” and its deep, earthy

f lavors highlight the

sweetness of fresh tomatoes.

The dish comes together in

about five minutes and has

the best texture, thanks to all

its crunchy seeds. And don’t

be afraid to eat the chiles—

they get milder when they’re

cooked down.

124 SEPTEMBER^2019 OPRAHMAG.COM

l
e

t

’s

e

a

t

!

MA

CK

EN

ZIE

SM

ITH

KE

LL

EY

FO

R^ I

ND

IA

N-

IS

H.