Indians love their spicy food. Â We cook our food with chilies and spices, place a dried red pepper into a gloopy mixture that turns to yogurt after hours and refrigeration, and add a spicy red relish called avakai or achaar (depending on where you’re from in India) to the food when it’s simply not spicy enough.
I’m one of these Indians. Â I carry Taco Bell Fire sauce packets in my purse to spice up my food when there’s no Tabasco or red chili flakes in a restaurant. Â To me, if it’s not spicy, it doesn’t have flavor. Â This is what I get for having my mother mix my Gerber baby food with a milder relish called magaai before she fed me.
As I learned to cook, I wondered why we never cook with this delightful spicy relish and only used it as an accompaniment. Â I’ve created two easy recipes (that are great for potlucks) using the achaar–a hummus and a baked brie.
If you have an Indian friend, immediately hit them up for some of this delicious relish (which we call “pickle,” Â Snooki, don’t get confused). Â If you don’t have an Indian friend, make one immediately. Â Or visit your local Indian store to purchase some. Â Get your hands on some achaar–there really is no substitute. Â Not even Taco Bell Fire sauce.
And since I’m feeling generous, I’m giving you both. Â And to my vegan readers–the hummus recipe is totally up your alley.
Enjoy!
Desi Brie (Baked Brie with Achaar)
I adapted this Barefoot Contessa sweet baked brie recipe to a savory, spicy one by swapping the honey for the achaar.  It’s been a huge hit with my friends, and one has even reworked the Desi Girl song to his “Desi Brie” (hence the name).
Ingredients
1 small wheel of brie
2-3 tablespoons of achaar
Instructions
Preheat an oven (or toaster oven–I prefer the toaster oven).
In a foil-covered dish/small pan, place the wheel of brie. Â Make small incisions on top.
Slather the achaar on top of the brie. Â Place the pan into the oven/toaster oven
Bake for 10-15 minutes (smaller ovens require smaller cooking times, FYI) or until slightly melty.
Slide the cheese onto a plate, and serve with crackers or crostini.
Nom rating: 4 noms. Â So good. Â This, paired with a great Malbec, has been my dinner more times than I’d like to admit.
Humma-Humma Hummus
A quick Google search brought up this recipe, and though I omitted the garlic and tahini (no garlic and no sesame seeds), it came out delicious enough that I’ve already polished off the entire thing. Â Eek.
Ingredients
1 1 lb, 13 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/3 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
6 tablespoons lemon juice (adjust for taste taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons achaar (if you have it, and if you don’t, get it!)
Instructions
Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, and olive oil into a bowl and blend using an immersion blender. Â Or place into a food processor and “process”.
Slowly add the liquid from the chickpea can and blend into the mixture.
Once you have a creamy mixture to your favored consistency, stir in the aachar
Serve with warmed pitas, crackers, or spread on a piece of whole-grain toast (my favorite breakfast). Â Or eat it plain. Â I do.
Nom factor: 3 1/2 noms. Â Only because it’s actually healthy.
And to get you in the desi mood, my favorite desi song :)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0UnhpfpxL8]
