Caramelized Cardamom Apples with Pistachio Cream (Sev Ka Murabba)

Caramelized Cardamom Apples with Pistachio Cream (Sev Ka Murabba)

An easy dessert that can be made with any sour, firm apples such as Granny Smiths. It may be served hot or warm.

Cream:
1 cup heavy, whipping cream
2 Tbsp unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
Apples:
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 medium-sized sour, firm apples
1/4 tsp finely ground cardamom seeds
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp blanched, slivered almonds
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Whip cream lightly in a bowl until it just holds its shape but is not stiff. Fold half the pistachios into the cream, cover and refrigerate.

Melt butter over low heat in a large, nonstick frying pan. Take pan off heat. Peel, core and slice apples thinly, dropping slices into the butter as you cut them. Fold them into the butter as you go so that they do not discolor. (You could, if you like, keep the frying pan over very low heat as you do this.) Add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, almonds and walnuts. Cook on medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently. Then turn heat to high. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring very gently now and then, until apples have caramelized lightly.

Serve on individual plates with a dollop of the cream partially on and partially off the apples. Sprinkle remaining chopped pistachios over the cream.

From "Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking" by Madhur Jaffrey