JOIN USThose rough, spiky, pine fruits that we know and love have a lot more to them than meets the eye. Pineapple, the tangy fruit can be fun to incorporate in different recipes to add flavours and delectable, fruity content.
“The spiky fruit can be cooked as well as presented in various ways. Simply grilling pineapple after cutting into pieces, makes for a great, simple appetiser or a side order. Pineapple is also an ideal companion with cocktails as well as mocktails. Pineapple dip or chutney also goes well with grilled fish, chicken, or pork. Just grab a piece of meat and dig in,” said, Pankaj Rana, executive chef, Club Rhino.
On the other hand executive chef Gurmeet from Grills and Platters by Pind Balluchi, who swears by the goodness of pineapple, said, “If you have a grill and some stray veggies, you can make yourself mighty fine kebabs! This recipe is for veggie kebabs, but you can get creative with it, using not only pineapple but also mushrooms, tofu, shrimp, even strawberries. In all northern Indian families, pineapple raita is a big hit. Not only pineapple raita, pineapple kheer and pineapple barfi tastes amazing and satisfying when it comes to sweet craving. Moving down south, there people love pineapple rasam which is very light and digestive.”
Pineapple can be prepared in the Italian way as well and can be used as an outstanding topping for a pizza. A perfect Hawaiian Pizza is incomplete without pineapple. For those who are looking for a healthy option, tropical fruit salad might be a hit for them. The pineapple is versatile and teams well with other fruits and ingredients. Give it a place in a great, seasonal, or tropical fruit salad for a healthy spin, along with honey and lime juice for added flavour.
Chef Sunil Tomar from Storm Bar and Grill, said, “Polynesian cuisine uses a lot of fruits and pineapple is definitely one of them. If one wants to add a zesty taste or flavour to chicken, pineapple can do wonders to the dish. Be it canned or fresh pineapple, Polynesian chicken goes well with pot of rice and any cocktail of your choice. One can also do a lot of experiments with pineapple due to its versatile flavour. It also goes very well with chocolate during winters.”
For dessert lovers, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is surely a great treat. This classic dish tastes better with fresh pineapple, but canned pineapple also does the trick. Also, the ingredients required are fairly basic, making it easy on the wallet too. All you need is butter, brown sugar, pineapples, caster sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract and eggs.