Spring's first asparagus is always a cause for celebration, but there is far more to cooking those tender spears than simply serving them with butter and lemon. In these two playful dishes, the stems are paired with bold Indian flavours, showcasing their versatility in unexpected culinary traditions.
The thoran, inspired by Keralan home cooking, involves stir-frying asparagus with coconut, mustard seeds and curry leaves to create a warm and comforting dish. As Romy Gill notes, her friend Simi's mother always used to drizzle it with a little lemon juice to lift the flavours.
The chaat, meanwhile, is tossed with tangy tamarind, yoghurt, spices, crunchy chickpeas and sweet pomegranate, making it a delicious snack or side dish. Together, these recipes demonstrate how easy it is to cook asparagus in vibrant and moreish ways.
Asparagus Thoran
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 4
- 30ml sunflower oil
- 1½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chillies
- 10 fresh curry leaves
- 2 medium banana shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 green chillies (bird's eye or similar), chopped
- 250g asparagus, woody ends cut off and discarded, spears cut in half widthways
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
- 50g grated fresh coconut
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 small handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Put the oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the mustard and cumin seeds, dried chillies and curry leaves. Cook for about 30 seconds until they start to sizzle and smell fragrant, then add the sliced shallots and green chillies. Cook, stirring, for three minutes.
Add the asparagus, stir-fry for two minutes, then sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Add the grated coconut and cook, stirring, for another three minutes until well combined. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and chopped coriander, and serve at once.
Asparagus Chaat
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 4-5
- 1 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp crushed black pepper
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp toasted cumin seeds, coarsely crushed
- 1 heaped tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 medium waxy potato, peeled and cut into 1cm chunks
- 250g asparagus, woody ends cut off and discarded
- 3 tsp tamarind chutney
- 50g plain yoghurt
- 15ml milk
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 1 small handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp chaat masala (optional)
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Spread the drained chickpeas in a single layer on a baking tray, then sprinkle over the crushed black pepper, half a teaspoon of salt, and a teaspoon each of chilli flakes and crushed cumin seeds. Drizzle over the sunflower oil, toss to coat evenly, then roast for about 15 minutes until golden and crisp, shaking the tray halfway through. (Ovens vary, so check after 12 minutes.)
Meanwhile, cook the diced potato in a pan of lightly salted water for 8-10 minutes until cooked through but not mushy, then drain and leave to steam-dry. Put a griddle pan on high heat. Once hot, cook the asparagus spears in batches for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until slightly crisp with a good bite (thicker spears may need longer).
When the chickpeas are ready, tip them into a bowl. Put the grilled asparagus on the empty baking tray and cut them all in half widthways. Scatter over half a teaspoon of salt, the remaining half-teaspoon of chilli flakes, half a teaspoon of crushed cumin seeds and a teaspoon of chutney, then toss gently to coat evenly.
In a bowl, combine the yoghurt, milk, remaining half-teaspoon each of salt and crushed cumin, and all the caster sugar, and whisk until smooth. To assemble, arrange the asparagus on a platter, scatter the potatoes on top, then sprinkle with half the roast chickpeas. Drizzle the yoghurt mix over everything, then spoon on the tamarind chutney and remaining chickpeas. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, chopped coriander and chaat masala, if using, and serve immediately.
