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As long as the grill is fired up, grill your dessert!
In this recipe from McCormick, naan flatbread, an Indian staple, serves as the base for fresh fruit.
Both the bread and the fruit are grilled separately, then assembled with a yogurt sauce, chopped pistachios and a garam masala-spiced honey drizzle that continue the theme.
Grill your favorite fruit: apricot, mango, nectarine, peach, pineapple, plum or strawberry work well.
If you’re concerned about buying a bottle of spice for just one recipe, fear not:
Garam masala, which adds warm, sweet flavor, is an all-purpose seasoning for chicken, fish, lamb, potatoes, rice pilaf, even breads. Read more about it below. You may even already have the spices to blend your own (see the end of this article).
Prep time is 20 minutes, cook time is 10 minutes.
RECIPE: GRILLED FRUIT FLATBREAD WITH INDIAN ACCENTS
Ingredients For 4 Servings
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A peach tart made on the grill. Photo courtesy McCormick.
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2 tablespoons butter, melted
2-1/4 teaspoons garam masala, divided (we used McCormick Gourmet Garam Masala Blend)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey, divided
1 package (8.8 ounces—2 pieces) plain naan
2 ripe peaches, pitted and quartered
1/2 cup plain yogurt (substitute vanilla yogurt)
2 tablespoons flaked coconut
1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios (substitute sliced almonds, chopped walnuts or pecans)
Preparation
1. MIX the butter, 2 teaspoons of the garam masala and 1 teaspoon of the honey in small bowl. Brush the naan and peaches with honey mixture.
2. GRILL the naan over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes per side or until toasted. Grill the peaches 2 to 3 minutes or until grill marks appear. Slice the peaches into 1/4-inch thick slices.
3. MIX the yogurt and coconut; spread atop each naan. Top with the sliced peaches and sprinkle with the pistachios. Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon honey and 1/4 teaspoon garam masala and drizzle over the top of the peaches. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Garam masala, a popular Indian spice blend. Photo courtesy McCormick. |
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WHAT IS GARAM MASALA
Garam masala is an aromatic spice blend originating in northern India, but used in both northern and southern cuisines. It is like other spice blends in that the ingredients and proportions will vary somewhat by cook or manufacturer.
Garam means hot in Hindi, and masala is a mixture of spices. The ingredients generally include black, brown and green cardamom pods; black and white peppercorns; cinnamon; clove; coriander; cumin; nutmeg and/or mace*; and turmeric.
Other ingredients can include bay leaf, fennel seeds, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, mace, malabar leaf, mustard seed, saffron, star anise and tamarind.
In Northern Indian cuisine, garam masala is typically used in powder form, while in Southern India it is often made into a paste with coconut milk, vinegar or water.
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In fine cooking, the spices are toasted and ground before use, to maintain the intensity of the flavor. But you can buy preground blends, like McCormick’s garam masala.
RECIPE: GARAM MASALA
If you want to blend your own, here’s a very simple recipe. Start with these proportions and then adjust to your particular preferences:
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander (cilantro seed)
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Store unused spices in an airtight container away from heat and light.
*Nutmeg is the seed of the nutmeg tree, while the more mild mace is the dried reddish covering of the seed.
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