There are no separate courses in a Vedic meal, though for a full-scale feast menu more than 30 dishes there is an order of serving. Fruits may be served at any time in the meal, from beginning to sweet conclusion. For breakfast, cut fruit often make up the entire meal. As a snack, a combination of three or four fruits is infinitely satisfying. Fruit combinations are endless, limited only by availability and imagination. Try specialty fruits such as cherimoyas, guavas, kiwis, carambolas, persimmons and fresh figs.
Chat plates require no preparation except the peeling and cutting of the fruits. Fruits are served in large pieces with a lime wedge and an optional sprinkle of either chat masala or black salt. To enhance the flavor of the fruits. I have suggested two fruit dressings. Crème Fraiche Cardamom and Fruit Juice. The following recipes make about 1 cup (240 ml) of dressing. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until blended.
Fruit Combinations:
• Tangerines, blueberries and cherimoyas
• Orange and papaya slices with pineapple cubes
• Avocado slices, * grapefruit segments and stuffed fresh dates
• Sweet cherries, bananas* and yellow peaches*
• Sliced pears,* seedless green grapes and prickly pears
• Guava cubes, kiwi slices and persimmons
• Apple slices, * raspberries and fresh figs
• Cucumber slices, strawberries and blue plum slices
• Passion fruit, lychees and cape gooseberries
• Carambolas, tangelos and pomegranates
• Casaba melon, cantaloupe and Crenshaw melon
*Dip in lemon, lime or pineapple juice to prevent discoloration.
Ingredients
For the Creme Fraiche-Cardamom Dressing:
• Creme fraiche, yogurt or sour cream - 1 cup (240 ml)
• Honey - 2 tablespoons (30 ml)
• Strained fresh orange juice - 2 tablespoons (30 ml)
• Ground cardamom - 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
For the fruit juice Dressing:
• Strained fresh lime juice - 1/3 cup (80 ml)
• Strained fresh orange juice - 1/3 cup (80 ml)
• Honey - 3 tablespoons (45 ml)
• Olive oil - 2 tablespoons (30 ml)
• Finely chopped fresh mint - 2 tablespoons (30 ml)
By Yamuna Devi Dasi
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