While India is in monsoon mode, Vancouver has been sunny side up, lately. We’re making up for a poor start to the summer, with cloudless skies, and temperatures edging up to, and over the 30º C mark. The markets are full of lovely summer fruit – cherries, berries, peaches, plums, all of which we are enjoying thoroughly. But I still have a Hawaii hangover. In this summer heat, I’m craving papayas, mangoes, pineapples – fruit with a touch of the tropical sun. Never mind the mangoes. I think I will have to return to Hawaii, or India, for truly enjoyable ones. But the Hawaii grown papayas and pineapples in stores now have been excellent, and I’m making the best of it.

The commercial cultivation of pineapple in Hawaii began in 1901, with James Dole, the “Pineapple King” as he came to be known, taking an early lead. For much of the last century, Hawaii was the world’s largest producer of fresh and processed pineapple. With rising labour costs, companies have shifted base to places like the Philippines and Costa Rica, but some smaller plantations do remain.

Pineapples are native to Brazil and Paraguay, and may have been initially introduced into Hawaii by the Spanish in the early 16th century. Hawaiians named the pineapple “hala kahiki” meaning “foreign hala”, named for its resemblance to the fruit of the native hala plant (Pandanus tectorius).

Meanwhile, over in India, the pineapple  seems to have arrived via the Portuguese, who brought with them a number of New World foods. Chief among them, is, of course, the chilli pepper, which dramatically changed the face of Indian cuisine.

The pineapple is known as “parangi* chekké” in the Coorg language. As in Hawaii, in the naming of this unfamiliar fruit, a comparison was made to something familiar. In this case, the “parangi” fruit draws comparison with the native jackfruit.

And the hot little bird’s eye chilli, is “parangi malu“, or foreign pepper. Black pepper, which is native to this region, is known as “nalla malu“, or good pepper. So we know which one ranks higher 😉

Coorg pineapple curry

One of my favourite ways to eat pineapple, besides fresh, (or in a classic pineapple upside down cake!*) is in a Coorg pineapple curry. This is made in much the same way as mango curry, but I prefer to reduce the spicing a little. Adjust the spicing and seasoning in this recipe to your tastes.

Pineapple flesh holds up well in cooking, but the subtler flavours of the fruit can be overwhelmed by the roasted spices. This curry can be made with semi-ripe, as well as ripe pineapples. One of my variations on this curry is a cooked chutney, topped with toasted coconut, grated orange zest, and fried curry leaves. Try that with a pork chop 🙂

Today, India is celebrating 65 years of Independence from British rule. Happy Independence Day, India!

But wait a minute. That other New World staple, the potato, is perhaps what I should have been cooking today! The potato, known as  “elaathi (vilayati) kandé ” in the Coorg language, roughly translates to British origin tuber. I wonder if those chips I ate earlier today count…

*A variation on firangi, meaning foreign

** A recipe that was born in Hawaii, and travelled the world