Summer Indian Curry

One of my favorite cookbooks is Madhur Jaffrey’s Illustrated Indian Cookery. Every single thing I’ve made from her book has been delicious. Tonight I made a succutash-like dish called Bhutta aur aloo ki mazedar tarkari. It consisted of sweet corn, potatoes and tomatoes—a late summer garden’s bounty. It was absolutely perfect. The vegetables and a little coconut milk contributed sweetness, a chopped jalapeno and cayenne added heat and the fried cumin seed and garlic rounded out the dish with a smoky savory flavor. Some chopped cilantro and a splash of fresh lemon brightened the whole pot making it the perfect late summer supper. I served it with brown rice so we could all feel good about what we were eating. I like brown rice better anyway. It has a great chewiness that’s so much more interesting than white rice.

I also made a quick green guacamole with avocado, yellow onion, jalapeno, garlic, lime and cilantro. I’ve decided that I prefer guacamole without tomatoes. The true flavor of the avocadoes comes through better without so much acidity. Mark and I enjoyed the dip with some baked tortilla chips and some Molsen Golden before dinner.

While doing my shopping for work today with Sarah, we spotted a sale on perfectly ripened mangos—a box of nine for seven dollars. She suggested I buy some and make mango sorbet with my new ice cream maker. I'm not sure for what else a person would buy nine mangos but sorbet. Her idea was great. I found a recipe on epicurious.com. It was extremely basic: mangoes, simple syrup, and lime juice. I’m waiting for the sorbet to firm up in the freezer before I enjoy a bowl. From the dregs of the ice cream barrel I can say it is on its way to being a fitting end to a wonderful meal.