Cantaloupe Chutney

Cantaloupe chutney sounds funny I know, but it is really good I swear! The idea came about because I kept getting melons from my CSA and so I decided to make this chutney in the same vein as a mango chutney. It is really sweet, but also spicey from dried red chili.

I made some tea sandwiches with this chutney for my friend Busayo's fashion line preview party. I spread some onto toast with a thick slice of swiss and cut them into cute little squares. I've also made these with gruyere and cheddar and it works quite well. The other tea sandwich I prepared for Busayo was basil chutney cream cheese and cucumber.

The cantaloupe chutney was a hit at the party and I ended up getting some orders for more. I've been making batches of it so if you live near and want to buy some let me know!

Here are some photos of Busayo's line. She uses traditional Nigerian fabrics in all of her designs and many of them are one of a kind. I own a few of her pieces and love them!

You can see more of Busayo's line here.

Cantaloupe Chutney

makes 2 cups

Ingredients

1 cantaloupe, peeled and cubed

1 1/2 tablespoons ghee

2 dried red chilis broken in two or can use dried red chili flakes to your taste

6 cardamom pods, peeled and crushed

4 cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon ginger, grated

1/2 cup jaggery or brown sugar

1/2 cup blanched and sliced almonds, toasted

juice from 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup honey

1 cup yellow raisins

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped rough

Method

Crush the cardamom and cloves in a mortar and pestle and set aside. Toast almonds in a non stick pan under medium low heat and set aside.

Heat ghee in a pan under medium heat. Put in red chilis, cardamom, cloves and ginger. Fry for 30 seconds. Next add in jaggery and almonds and mix all around for 15 seconds. Throw in cantaloupe and rest of ingredients in pan. Mix well and bring to a boil. Taste for more chili and add flakes accordingly. The chutney should be sweet but with a spicy kick at the end. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until chutney is syrupy.

Puree coursely in blender to make it spreadable.

Savoy Cabbage Potato Curry

I recieved a Savoy cabbage in my CSA delivery the other week.   I had never cooked with one before. The cabbage I grew up eating was just the regular white kind, which is what is mostly used in Indian recipes.  I didn't think that it would make much of a difference and put the Savoy cabbage into a curry I was making with potatoes.  I found that it's actually way better than the white kind -  a lot more tender and mild in flavor. Also when cooking it, the odor is not as strong and it's very pretty looking with crinkled and curled leaves:

Ingredients

1 small Savoy cabbage, chopped

3 small red potatoes, boiled and chopped in bite size chunks

2 tablespoons oil or ghee

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ginger grated

pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/3 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon red chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

salt to taste

juice from 1/2 lime

cilantro for garnish

Method

Heat ghee or oil in a pan under medium-high heat.  Put in cumin seeds and pinch of hing and shake the pot up so they mingle.  Once the cumin seeds start to turn darker brown and fragrant, turn the heat to medium and mix in garlic and ginger. Sautee them together for 30 seconds. 

Throw in cabbage and sautee. Put some water in the pan if you feel the cabbage is burning or getting too dry.  Add the spices and cook for about 5 minutes.  Next add the potatoes.  Cook for another 5 minutes or until cabbage is tender.  Add salt to taste.  Turn the heat off and add lime juice and cilantro. 

Sundried Tomato Paneer and Basil Chutney

I made two homemade flavored paneer cheeses for a screening party of my friend Vincey's short film, Señorita which he wrote, directed and starred in. At the party, I served one sundried tomato paneer with basil chutney on the side and one carmelized pistachio paneer with honey on top. To make flavored paneer, you follow the usual directions and mix in your flavoring right before you hang the paneer to drain.

Masala Loca @ Emerging Artists Showcase

Last week, Sabra and I served some of our Masala Loca tacos at a party celebrating The Emerging Artists Program. The program is a collaboration between The L Magazine, Bumble and bumble and NADA (New Art Dealers Alliance) and showcases emerging artists in NY.

Me and Sabes getting our food ready.

We made shahi paneer tacos topped with gaucamole and crema of homemade yogurt and sour cream.

The event was held at a Bumble and bumble hair salon and we served food on the terrace of the salon which had really nice views.

And some of our friends from the Greenpoint Food Market were there too which was fun.

Anita of Electric Blue Baking Co. made little vegan pizzas:

And Clara and Dan of empandas ¡dpm! served up two kinds of empanadas:

We had such a good time cooking for this event. Thanks to The L Magazine for having us.