AUGUST 2019 81
Farmers Market Kurkure
“Frito Pie”
ACTIVE 50 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 15 MIN
SERVES 6
A guilty pleasure across the American
South, Frito pie typically involves ladling
chili into an open bag of corn chips. In this
rambunctious riff on the snack, a spicy
vinadaloo mixture of sweet potato, pep-
pers, and corn is layered over India’s
highly spiced Kurkure corn puffs then
topped with a sweet and spicy mango
chutney. Substitute traditional Fritos if you
can’t find Kurkure at South Asian grocers
or online.
5 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. peanut oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
(about 3^1 / 2 cups)
3 to 6 chiles de árbol
11 /^2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
(^1) / 3 cup tomato paste
(^1) / 3 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
(grated on a Microplane)
2 Tbsp. grated garlic (grated on a
Microplane)
2 tsp. granulated sugar
13 / 4 cups water
21 /^4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut
into^1 / 2 -inch cubes (about 1^1 / 2 cups)
(^1) / (^8) tsp. freshly ground black pepper
11 / 4 cups fresh yellow corn kernels
(from 2 ears)
1 (6-oz.) green bell pepper, chopped
(about 1 cup)
6 (3.3-oz.) pkg. corn puffs or chips
(such as Kurkure or Fritos)
Mango Koochumbar (recipe
follows)
3 oz. tamarind chutney
3 oz. queso fresco, crumbled (about
(^3) / 4 cup)
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat 3 table-
spoons oil in a large skillet over medium-
high. Add onion, and cook, stirring often,
until browned, 16 to 20 minutes. Add
chiles, cumin seeds, peppercorns, carda-
mom, cinnamon, mustard seeds, and fen-
ugreek seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally,
until fragrant, about 1 minute and 30 sec-
onds. Stir in tomato paste, vinegar, ginger,
garlic, and sugar; cook, stirring con-
stantly, until mixture begins to caramel-
ize, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Process chile mixture, 1^3 / 4 cups water, and
1 teaspoon salt in a blender until mixture
forms a smooth, thick sauce. Set aside.- Toss together sweet potato, ground
black pepper, 1 teaspoon oil, and^1 / 4 tea-
spoon salt on a large rimmed baking
sheet; spread in a single layer. Roast in
preheated oven until just tender, about 12
minutes. Set aside. - Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a
large skillet over medium-high. Add corn
kernels and bell pepper, and cook, stirring
often, until vegetables begin to soften, 1
to 2 minutes. Stir in sweet potato, and
cook 1 minute. Add 1^3 / 4 cups pureed chile
sauce and remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and
cook, stirring often, until just heated
through, about 2 minutes. - To serve, open corn puff bags. Spoon
(^1) / 2 cup vegetable mixture over corn puffs
in each bag. Top each with about^1 / 2 cup
mango koochumbar,^1 / 2 ounce tamarind
chutney, and^1 / 2 ounce queso fresco.
—MANEET CHAUHAN, CHAUHAN ALE &
MASALA HOUSE, CHAATABLE, TANSUO, AND
THE MOCKINGBIRD, NASHVILLE
Mango Koochumbar
ACTIVE 15 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 15 MIN
MAKES 3 CUPS
This fresh and fiery condiment brightens
the flavor of the hearty vindaloo chile mix-
ture; it would also be delicious spooned
over grilled salmon. Use an unripe mango
here for the best texture.
1 jalapeño, grated on a Microplane
(about 3 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. lime zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh
lime juice
1 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 unripe mango (about 14 oz.), cut
into^1 / 8 -inch pieces (about 1^1 / 4 cups)
(^1) / (^2) (15-oz.) English cucumber, seeded
and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
(^1) / 4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 fresh curry leaves, finely chopped
4 tsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
Stir together jalapeño, lime zest and juice,
and ginger in a medium bowl until com-
bined. Add mango, cucumber, bell pep-
per, curry leaves, cilantro, salt, and sugar,
and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate
at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours before
serving. —MANEET CHAUHAN