PINEAPPLE GINGER COMPOTE WITH CHILLI
I am not sure if I have mentioned it here before, but I really, really, really love ginger. It is such a great addition to savoury and sweet dishes taste wise, and on top of that it comes with a whole host of health benefits so what’s not to like.
In fact, in order to make sure I always have ginger available, I peel, chop and freeze it in ice cube trays and then just take one out each time I need some. On a cutting board, flatten the frozen ginger cube and then just add to your pot as you would if it was fresh. (Did you know that the best way to peel ginger is with a teaspoon?).
The thing that is so enticing about adding ginger to sweet dishes is the contrast of sweet and spicy you get from it, and in this recipe it is further enhanced by fresh red chilli. Back in the 90’s I lived in Mauritius for a while and I remember seeing a friend eating pineapple with chilli and thinking ‘that is such a strange combination’, but now, I totally get it. So here I have taken the concept a little further by adding ginger AND chilli to super sweet pineapple.
This compote is delicious when spooned slightly warm over vanilla ice cream, and it goes just as well in porridge, on pancakes or even cold on a slice of rye bread. If you have, add some fresh mint too.
Pineapple Ginger Compote with Chilli
Ingredients
- 400g ripe pineapple
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 red chilli (seeds removed)
- 2.5 cm ginger
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp cornflour
Instructions
- Chop the pineapple finely. Remove the seeds from the chilli, peel the ginger and cut both into small pieces.
- Add all the ingredients except the cornflour to a small pan and heat gently. Let bubble away for 5-10 minutes until it the sugar is fully dissolved and it thickens slightly.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the cornflour with 3 tablespoons of cold water. Remove the pot from the heat, add the cornflour and stir well. Place back on the heat for a minute or so and keep stirring.
- Use warm, and keep leftover in a jar in the fridge. This will last for several weeks.
