Whip up delicious recipes with apples, straight from the kitchen of the hills.
Ingredients 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 large apple, cored and cubed 2 tbsp ghee 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp grated ginger ¼ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp red chilli powder ½ tsp garam masala Salt to taste 2 tbsp raisins and chopped cashews (optional) Water as required Method Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cumin seeds. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but in the Indian hills, the fruit can do considerably more than sit in a lunchbox. It can find its way into a spicy curry, accompany a breakfast pancake or turn into a halwa that makes you forget about the fruit bowl altogether. Across Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand, apples have long been part of the region’s culinary landscape. jams and desserts, they also work surprisingly well with savoury ingredients While their crisp texture and natural sweetness make them an obvious choice for pies. Paired with potatoes, aubergines, warming spices or a little jaggery, apples bring a sweet-tart balance to traditional preparations. Here are five apple recipes inspired by the food traditions of the Indian hills that are worth trying in your kitchen. Pair apple’s tartness with potato curry’s spice. Who decided that apples belong exclusively in desserts? Himachali aloo-seb makes a convincing argument for giving the fruit a place in your savoury rotation. This unusual preparation brings together potatoes and apples, cooked with spices and ghee to create a dish that balances sweetness with warmth. The potatoes provide a hearty base, while the apples soften as they cook, absorbing the flavours of ginger, cumin, turmeric and chilli. Depending on the household recipe, the dish may also feature garam masala, cashews or raisins. The result is comforting without being overly sweet, especially when served with hot rotis or steamed rice. Once they begin to splutter, add the grated ginger and saute briefly. Add the potatoes, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Stir well, then add a splash of water, cover and cook until the potatoes begin to soften. Add the apple cubes and garam masala. Mix gently, cover and cook until both ingredients are tender but still hold their shape. Garnish with raisins and cashews, if using, and serve hot. Apple introduces a gentle tartness that cuts through the richness of the eggplant. Kashmiri cuisine has a knack for combining ingredients that might seem unlikely partners elsewhere. Tchoonth wangan is one such preparation, traditionally associated with quince, known as bum tchoonth , cooked with aubergine. Apple can be used in adaptations of the dish, offering a more readily available alternative when quince is difficult to find.
Ingredients 2 medium aubergines, cut into thick pieces 1 firm apple, cored and sliced 3 tbsp mustard oil 1 tsp fennel powder ½ tsp dried ginger powder ¼ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder Salt to taste 1 to 1½ cups water Method Heat the mustard oil in a pan and fry the aubergine pieces until lightly golden. Ingredients 1 cup wheat flour ¾ cup milk, or as required 1 tbsp sugar ¼ tsp cardamom powder Ghee for cooking For the stewed apples: 2 apples, peeled and chopped 1 tbsp sugar or jaggery ½ tsp cinnamon powder 2 cloves ¼ cup water Method Whisk the wheat flour, milk, sugar and cardamom into a smooth, pourable batter. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Ingredients 2 large apples, peeled and grated ½ cup semolina ( sooji ) 3 tbsp ghee ¼ cup sugar, or to taste 1 cup water ¼ tsp cardamom powder 2 tbsp chopped almonds or cashews Raisins, optional Method Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan. Ingredients 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 tbsp jaggery 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp chilli powder A pinch of black salt ¼ cup water Method Add the cumin seeds to a dry pan and toast briefly until fragrant.
The aubergines are typically fried before being simmered with the fruit and Kashmiri spices. Fennel powder, dried ginger, turmeric and Kashmiri chilli lend the curry its characteristic warmth, while the fruit introduces a gentle tartness that cuts through the richness of the eggplant. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, add the fennel, dried ginger, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir briefly, taking care not to burn the spices. Add the apple slices, fried aubergines, salt and water. Cover and simmer until the aubergines are tender and the apples have softened. Adjust the seasoning and serve with steamed rice. Himachali pancakes can be paired with delicious stewed apples. A traditional breakfast from Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmour region, patande are soft, thin pancakes that make a wonderful alternative to the usual toast-and-eggs routine. Their texture falls somewhere between a pancake and a dosa, although recipes vary between households. Often made with wheat flour and milk, patande can be served with honey, ghee or milk. Pairing them with stewed apples adds a seasonal twist, with cinnamon and cloves lending the fruit a warm, fragrant sweetness. Meanwhile, place the apples, sugar or jaggery, cinnamon, cloves and water in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until the apples soften and the liquid becomes syrupy. Remove the cloves. Heat a lightly greased pan and pour in a ladleful of batter, spreading it into a thin pancake. Cook on both sides until golden, adding a little ghee as needed. Serve warm with the stewed apples. Make some comforting warm halwa using apples If you prefer your apples on the sweeter side, Kinnauri seb ka halwa is a delicious way to use fruit that is particularly ripe and fragrant. Grated apples are cooked with ghee, sugar and semolina until the mixture thickens into a rich, spoonable dessert. As the fruit cooks, its moisture reduces and its flavour becomes more concentrated. Semolina gives the halwa body, while cardamom and nuts add fragrance and crunch. It is a lovely alternative to the usual sooji halwa when apples are in season. Add the semolina and roast over low heat until fragrant and lightly golden. Add the grated apples and cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly. Carefully add the water and sugar. Stir continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Cook until the semolina absorbs the liquid and the mixture thickens. Add cardamom and nuts, then serve warm. Whip up some chutney with apples and pair it with your meals. Sometimes, the best way to make a fruit work harder is to turn it into a condiment. Apple chutney, prepared in variations across the Himalayan region, combines the fruit’s natural sweetness with spices, acidity and sometimes jaggery. It works particularly well alongside parathas, pakoras and simple home-cooked meals. The consistency can range from chunky to smooth, depending on how long you cook the apples. Add the apples, ginger, jaggery, chilli powder, black salt and water. Cover and cook over low heat until the apples soften. Mash lightly for a chunky texture or cook longer for a smoother consistency. Stir in the lemon juice or vinegar, adjust the seasoning and cool before serving. The beauty of these recipes lies in how easily the apple moves between sweet and savoury. It can lend body to a curry, bring freshness to a rich aubergine dish, turn a humble pancake into a special breakfast or become a chutney that brightens an entire meal. In the Indian hills, the apple is far more than something to eat between meals. It is an ingredient that adapts to the kitchen, the season and whatever happens to be cooking on the stove. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.
