AUGUST 2019 99
TOMATOES & TURMERIC from p. 87
Cook over medium-high, stirring often,
until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove
from skillet, and cool completely, about 5
minutes. Transfer to a coffee grinder or
spice mill, and grind to a fine powder.
Transfer to a small bowl; stir in chile
p ow d e r.
- Make the pimiento cheese: Stir
together shredded cheeses, cream
cheese, mayonnaise, pimientos, and salt
to taste in a medium bowl. - Heat oil in a small skillet over medium
until shimmering. Turn off heat, and add 1
tablespoon achari masala. Allow spices to
bloom in hot oil, stirring constantly, about
30 seconds. (Keep an eye out at this
stage; the spices can burn easily if the oil
or pan is too hot.) Remove from skillet,
and let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
Stir spice-oil mixture into cheese mixture
until combined. Cover and refrigerate at
least 3 hours or, for best results, up to 8
hours or overnight. Serve with crackers or
on toasted naan. —FARHAN MOMIN, FARMO
COOKS, ATLANTA
Boiled Peanut Chaat
PHOTO P. 82
ACTIVE 15 MIN; TOTAL 3 HR 45 MIN
SERVES 6
Soft and salty boiled peanuts—a classic
roadside snack across the rural southern
United States—are a natural candidate for
chaat, India’s noshable street food. Enjoy
this bright appetizer by the spoonful or
scooped up with a piece of naan.
12 cups water
3 cups shelled raw peanuts
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger
(^1) / 2 serrano chile
2 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. plus^1 / 2 tsp. kosher salt,
divided
(^1) / 4 tsp. ground turmeric
2 Tbsp. peanut oil
(^1) / 2 tsp. cumin seeds
8 fresh curry leaves (from 1 sprig)
1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts
1 small red onion, finely chopped
(about 1 cup)
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely
chopped (about 1 cup)
(^1) / 2 (15-oz.) English cucumber, seeded
and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
(^1) / 3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
leaves, chopped
5 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
(^1) / 4 cup loosely packed fresh mint
leaves, chopped
1 serrano chile, finely chopped
11 / 2 tsp. chaat masala (such as MDH
Chunky Chat Masala)
1 tsp. honey
(^1) / 4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- Bring 12 cups water, raw peanuts, gin-
ger, serrano half, garlic, lemon juice, 2
tablespoons salt, and turmeric to a boil in
a Dutch oven over high. Reduce heat to
medium, cover, and gently boil until pea-
nuts are tender, but not mushy, about 3
hours and 30 minutes. Drain peanut mix-
ture; discard ginger, serrano half, and gar-
lic. Place peanuts in a large bowl; set
aside to let cool. - Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet
over medium. Add cumin seeds and curry
leaves; stir until seeds and leaves crackle
and become very fragrant, about 1 min-
ute. Add dry-roasted peanuts; toss to
coat, and remove from heat. - Add roasted peanut mixture, onion,
tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, lime juice,
mint, chopped serrano, chaat masala,
honey, cayenne, and remaining^1 / 2 tea-
spoon salt to boiled peanuts; toss to coat.
Serve immediately. —VISHWESH BHAAT,
SNACKBAR, OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI
Konkani Fish Kadi
PHOTO P. 85
ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 55 MIN
SERVES 4To give this Southern spin on fish curry an
upgrade, seek out Simmons catfish,
raised in aquifer-fed ponds in the Missis-
sippi Delta. Visit simmonscatfish.com for
information on where to purchase.CURRY
6 to 8 chiles de árbol
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds(^1) / 4 cup water, plus more if needed
8 garlic cloves
1 tsp. ground turmeric
10 fresh curry leaves, divided
(^1) / 4 cup vegetable oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, finely
chopped (about 1^1 / 2 cups)
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
FISH
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. Kashmiri chile powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
(^1) / 2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
(grated on a Microplane)
(^1) / 2 tsp. grated garlic (grated on a
Microplane)
1 lb. skinless catfish fillets, cut into
2-inch pieces
Cooked basmati rice, kachumber
salad, and lime wedges, for serving
- Make the curry: Combine chiles, pep-
percorns, cumin seeds, and coriander
seeds in a dry skillet. Cook over medium,
stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 min-
utes. Place toasted spices in a blender;
add^1 / 4 cup water, garlic, turmeric, and 5
curry leaves. Process until a thick paste
forms, about 1 minute, adding more
water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to
blend smoothly. - Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-
high. Add onion,^1 / 2 teaspoon salt, and
remaining 5 curry leaves. Cook, stirring
often, until onion is translucent, 4 to 6
minutes. Stir in spice paste, and cook,
stirring occasionally, until onion is
browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in coconut
milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to
medium-low, and simmer, stirring occa-
sionally, until sauce is thick enough to
coat the back of a spoon, about 25 min-
utes. Stir in lime juice and remaining 1^1 / 2
teaspoons salt. - Make the fish: Heat^1 / 4 inch of oil in a
large skillet over medium-high to 350°F.
Stir together lime juice, turmeric, chile
powder, salt, ginger, and garlic in a
medium bowl. Add fish, and toss to evenly
coat. Working in 2 batches, fry fish pieces
in hot oil until golden brown and just done,
about 1 minute and 30 seconds per side;
drain on paper towels. - Add fried fish to curry, and serve over
basmati rice with lime wedges and
kachumber (an onion, tomato, and
cucumber) salad. —MEHERWAN IRANI, CHAI
PANI, ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA