Kumquat,

I don’t know how authentically Thai this is, but I do know that it’s authentically scrumptious.

Tania Hayek Mercer (that’s she above on the right) is the lovely chefette/owner of Nourishing You, a D.C.-area holistic nutrition service.  Last week, I was lucky enough to sit in on her Thai cooking class held at the gorgeous U.S. Botanic Garden. Their orchids, as you can see in that top photo, are unabashedly embracing full-on flirt mode.

Spice it up, baby. (Clockwise from left): galangal, lemon grass, ginger and shallots. Galangal, Tania says, is more prevalent in Southeast Asian cooking, whereas its more assertive cousin, ginger, is featured more in Chinese cuisine.

All three recipes Tania shared were delicious and nourishing, and this dish was especially dynamite.  My beautiful friend Anissa is making me homemade pizza tonight, and I’m thinking of reciprocating by making her this light and luscious dessert.

The Recipe:

Thai “Fried” Pineapple

Adapted from a recipe by Tania Hayek Mercer, Nourishing You

Serves Eight.  (Or, I might add, a joyously gluttonous four.)

1 Pineapple, skinned, cored and peeled, then quartered

3 TB butter (I recommend grass-fed butter.  Kerry Gold is a good Irish brand that’s usually grass-fed and widely available.)

2-3 tsp unsweetened shredded coconut

2 TB sugar (I’d also use honey or maple syrup, depending on the flavor profile you want.  Or palm sugar, for a caramel-like note.)

The juice of 1 lime

Thick plain yogurt (I would use grass-fed and/or organic whole milk yogurt.)

Limes and palm sugar discs.

1) Cut the pineapple quarters lengthwise and into 1/2 inch wedges.

2) Heat the butter in a large, heavy frying pan.  (Or a ridged grill pan.  I’m thinking you could also grill the pineapple outside and then toss the in a hot buttered pan with the sugar.  Or pour the sauce on top.)  Watch the butter to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Once the butter has melted, add the pineapple and cook it over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each sited.  You want the golden color to deepen.

3) Now sprinkle some the sugar into the pan and add the lime juice.  Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.

4) Divide the pineapple among eight bowls.  Sprinkle the fruit with the coconut.  (You don’t want to add the coconut to the hot pan because the coconut will likely burn.)  Add a modicum (or a vat!) of yogurt to each bowl, then drizzle each serving with a bit of the syrup and serve.

Swoon.  Yum.  Thai yum.

Until next week!

Warmly,

Holly