- 3
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons whole black mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 3 tablespoons finely minced garlic
- 1 Thai chile pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons malt vinegar, plus 1/2 cup
- One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
Step 1
1. In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, mustard seeds and chili powder and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, Thai chile and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Cook until the vinegar has evaporated and the pan is dry, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar, salt and remaining ½ cup of vinegar and cook, stirring often with a rubber spatula, until thickened and dark in color, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool before serving.
Makes 2-1/2 Cups.
Notes: Toast your spices to bring out their maximum flavor. Second, make sure to go low and slow when cooking, so that all of those heady flavors can meld together.
Once the sauce is done, you can leave it chunky or purée it until completely smooth, then slather it on everything.
Suggested Uses:
Ketchup Swap: Though its pungent funk may not be for everyone, Graham suggests trying kasundi anywhere you'd smear ketchup. Serve a dollop alongside an omelet or fold it directly into whipped eggs before cooking to give a bland breakfast a vibrant red hue and hefty hit of spice.
Read more: http://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/kasundi-recipe-homemade-condiment-tim-graham-chicago#ixzz3XId7pewX
Aioli Booster: Take a cup of mayonnaise and whisk in anywhere from four to six tablespoons of kasundi, depending on how much heat you'd like to add. The aioli shines as a dip for chicken tenders and can stand up to equally sharp flavors like pancetta and arugula when layered on a sandwich. "It's so strong and so pronounced that you don't need to add anything else," Graham says. "Let it be the loudest voice in the choir."
Lazy Person's Marinade: You'll get maximum flavor impact without the fuss with this simple formula. Combine one and a half cups of a neutral oil like grapeseed with half a cup of lemon juice, then whisk in half a cup of kasundi. Coat skin-on poultry or hearty fish like swordfish or mahi, let it sit for a few hours, then cook as you please. Pair with a nutty grain like wild rice, sweet vegetables like butternut squash or sweet potatoes, or greens like kale or cabbage sautéed with a touch of mustard.
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Crudo Finisher: To bring a little something unexpected to homemade crudo, slice a sturdy raw fish like snapper into small pieces, then toss the pieces with a little lemon juice. Plate the raw fish and top it with a smear of kasundi. Don't rub it in, instead letting the slightly sweet fish and kasundi each have their turn on the tongue.
Salad Savior: Make an Asian-inspired dressing by whisking together three cups of olive oil, half a cup of kasundi, one tablespoon of sesame oil, one cup of nonsweet white rice wine vinegar and a dash of soy sauce. Toss together crunchy lo mein noodles, sesame seeds and shredded cooked chicken, then coat with the kasundi dressing for a salad that hits all the right notes: fresh, sweet, salty, crunchy.