Apple Salad
SEB KACHAMBER

-Recipe from Yamuna mataji

              Outside of Kashmir, where most of India’s apples are grown, the texture tends to be mealy –a sure sign of over ripening due to long storage at warm temperatures. On the whole, I do not find them as good as most. American varieties. Use any crisp salad or all-purpose apple: for example, Newton, pippin or McIntosh, which are crisp, sweet and juicy, with a tangy overtone; anything from sweet red or Golden Delicious to tart granny Smith will do as well. With the grapes and mint-almond dressing, this is an elegant mid-winter fruit kachambers.

Preparation and chilling time (after assembling ingredients): 30 minutes
Serves: 6

¼ cup (60 ml) plain yogurt or sour cream
2 table spoons (30 ml) chopped fresh mint
3 table spoons (45 ml) ground blanched almonds
¼ teaspoon (1 ml) cardamom seeds, crushed
2 table spoons (30 ml) orange or lemon juice
3 medium-sized apples, cored and diced
½ cup (120 ml) seedless grapes, halved


         Blend the yogurt or sour cream, mint, almonds, cardamom seeds and orange or lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Fold in the apples and grapes, cover, and chill for at least ½ hour before serving.