When I was a kid, we would go to the local YMCA every day after school. During the season, we would steal away to a remote area of the running track and sit under a pomegranate bush and make a huge mess eating the ripe fruit. Then we would try to return to the group, pretending we hadn't done anything. Of course, our red faces and drips on our clothing always gave it away.
After that, I kind of forgot about pomegranates until this season. About a month ago, someone at the farmer's market handed me a piece of pomegranate fruit. "I don't think I like pomegranates," I replied as I decided to taste it. "What am I supposed to do with the seeds?" The others around me encouraged me to chew them up as I worked my way through the fruit. The taste was intoxicating. It was a completely ripe fruit just bursting with flavor as I ate it. Since then, I haven't been able to get enough of fresh pomegranates. A friend wrote a blog post last month which suggests that Alice Waters' method of peeling pomegranates is to do it underwater, as the seeds sink and the pulp floats. Additionally, you make much less of a mess. Several times a week, I can be found in our kitchen, pomegranates in a large bowl of water being peeled.
Shalini Balla is a friend who I met in the past year who has taught me more about home Indian cooking than I have ever learned before. Through her snacks and little bites of concoctions here and there, I have learned that Indian home cooking is nothing like you eat at the $5.95 curry buffet down the street.
Shalini taught me recently about Anardana, dried pomegranate seeds, that are used in Indian cooking. The seeds are dried and can be purchased as a spice (locally at Vik's in Berkeley) The tang to the seeds adds a dimension to the flavor that is specific to Indian food.
She was kind enough to pass along a recipe for Aloo Anardana, a potato dish using Anardana. According to Shalini, "These potatoes are great on their own as a snack. They also make good sandwich stuffers. Serve then as a side to any meal instead of mashed potatoes, etc."
Aloo Anardana
1.5 lbs potatoes (yukon gold, red skin or a good boiling potato. Do not use Russet potatoes)
1/4 cup Pure ghee
3 to 4 whole red chillies
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup Anardana (dried pomegranate seeds), finely powdered.
Boil the potatoes till tender and let cool completely. I prefer not to peel my potatoes for this dish. Chop the potatoes into 1 inch pieces.
Heat the ghee in a kadhai / wok. Add the whole red chillies and fry till they begin to change colour. This takes a few seconds. Add the chopped potatoes and fry till pink and crispy. Add the powdered spices and mix to ensure that all the potatoes are coated in the spices. Add the powdered pomegranate seeds and mix. Fry for another couple of minutes.
Serve hot.
For much more information on pomegranates, including history, please check out World on a Plate's post.
