At the age of eighty-three, my grandma has somewhat unreliable hips, but I’ve never seen her move so quickly to the dinner table as when this curry is on the menu. It’s not just one of her favorites, it’s also on the A-list of curries for a lot of Gujaratis. There are no onions or garlic in this dish, but the ground peanuts, chickpea flour, and yogurt add a real depth of flavor and savory nuttiness.
NOTE: You will need a food processor or spice grinder to grind the peanuts for this curry.
Serves 4 as a main course
1 cup unsalted peanuts, preferably red-skinned (plus extra to serve)
6 ears of corn
5 tablespoons canola oil
¾ cup chickpea flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1½ teaspoons ground red chile
1 teaspoon sugar
First grind the nuts to a fine consistency in a spice grinder or food processor and set aside.
Next, husk the corn and pull off any silky strands. Make a deep horizontal cut halfway down each ear and break in half. Bring a pan of water to boil, add the corn, and boil for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender, then drain.
Put the oil into a large lidded frying pan over a low to medium heat and, once hot, add the chickpea flour, stirring continuously to smooth out any lumps. After around 4 minutes it will start to turn a pinkish brown. When it does, add the ground peanuts, turn the heat right down, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the yogurt, salt, turmeric, ground red chile, and sugar to the pan. Stir to mix, then increase the heat to medium. Slowly ladle in 2½ cups of water, stirring until you have a smooth consistency.
Put the ears of corn into the pan, cover with the lid, and leave to heat through for around 5 minutes, until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream. Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls and scatter over some crushed peanuts. Serve with rice or chapatis and encourage people to use their hands.
