Wednesday 27 July 2011

A foreign fruit

When we moved to England, we moved away from all things familiar. It was a different piece of land, which grew different things. The smells in the air were more quiet. The sounds on the street were better behaved. The weather was cooler. People paler. Voices softer.

I loved the newness. My first year passed in a blur, exploring as much as I could, as quickly as I could. The first thing I did when I woke up every morning was call Ma and Baba in India, and once that was done, I didn't miss much else.

But I miss India now. And often with a suddenness that stops me short. I could be crossing the street, when I'm hit with an intense need for an egg-chicken roll. These needs have absolutely no sense of timing.

I miss the impatient honk of a car. I miss clothes delivered by the dhobi on Sunday mornings, starched and ironed, the whites a little blue. I miss dusty window panes that you can scribble on. I miss newspapers at the door every morning. I miss haggling. I miss sitting around food, with friends. I miss the rush and the rudeness of the streets. I miss loud laughs. And colour.





Reds. Yellows. Oranges. They remind me of India. Nectarines, apricots and plums lying next to each other in the market stall remind me of India. A few years ago, fresh apricots and nectarines were as foreign to me as I was to this country. But we met halfway, the fruits and I.

Here they are, comfortable in a cold Indian broth. Stewed sweet, with cinnamon, star anise and black peppercorns. It's the perfect end to a summer meal - sweet and cool, light and fruity.


Stone fruit stew





Ingredients


1 apricot, cubed
1 nectarine, cubed
1 plum, cubed
(There was a strawberry lying around, so I threw it in too)
1/2 cup demerara sugar
1 1/2 cup water
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp crushed black peppercorns
A 2-inch stick of cinnamon
1 star anise


Mix the water and sugar and put it to boil. When it starts boiling, add the cinnamon, star anise and the whole black peppercorns.
Let the syrup reduce to half, then take it off the heat.
Add the lemon juice and the crushed peppercorns.
Then add the fruits, and cover.
When it cools completely, put it in the refrigerator.

Serve cold at the end of a meal. Or enjoy on its own.

Serves 2-3

7 comments:

  1. Beautiful post. I love your writing. resounds my sentiments when I was pregnant and in the UK. Now am in the middle east where there is still some resemblance to the desi.
    Beautiful pics. I am glad I came upon your blog. Its really beautiful Pia.

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  2. It's the small things that remind you of home the most. The further away we move from the UK the more I find these things cropping up a lot more! Beautiful photographs and that recipe looks divine (love the very Royal copenhagen looking dish too!). Emma :)

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  3. Ciao Pia and greetings from a very sunny California. Stopped by to visit. Your blog is awesome! I just love the name. Catchy. Whimsical. Incredibles photos. Great composition, lighting, colors, arrangements. And your writing is warm and personal. Bravo Pia! I am a father to four daughters so I remember the two's. I know your job as a mom is consuming. But I am glad you are writing.
    I write a blog about food. Which serves as a platform to write about love and relationships. Please stop by. Visit. Maybe follow. That would be cool.

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  4. Love the way you write Pia :)
    Recipe sounds delicious, very different from how I cook but sounds tasty!

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  5. Poignant connections yet so beautifully written. Love the stone fruit stew and the pictures. This must taste delicious!

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  6. beautiful write-up. and it sounds as if u just read my mind and have written ur post here :) one realises the true value of things/people when we r far away from them!

    and what a unique recipe!

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  7. Thanks for such a lovely comment Sia. I'm glad you connected with the post :)

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