What do you do when you pick up too many peaches? Carmalize them in ghee and sprinkle them with cardamom toasted coconut sprinkles, of course! White, yellow or donut shape, we’ll take one of each, please. Inspired by kela (bananas) ghee, a decadent weekend breakfast lovingly eaten with warm ghee’d up chapatis, we wanted to cook our peaches in a similar manner sans the chapatis. The end result was a keeper—perfect for breakfast, snack time or dessert. Not too heavy, nor too sweet, and with a little spice to make it extra nice. Happy Eating. Happy Digesting.
Peaches & Ayurveda
Peaches, like most fruit when eaten fresh, seasonally and unprocessed are considered to be rich in prana or life-force. Alive, alkalizing and packed with nourishment the body-mind needs in the summer aka pitta season. With their sweet and sour taste, peaches are predominant in the water element, followed by earth and fire. The tanginess and warming energy helps to boost digestion, which in the summer can be slightly sluggish. A gentle liver cleanser, these fuzzy balls of juicy fiber are pure sattva. Simple, pure balanced goodness for clarity in body, mind, and spirit.
Peaches, Ghee & Spiced Coconut Sprinkles
servings: 6 | time: 25-30mins
Dosha:Â VKP*
Season:Â Summer
Tastes: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Astringent
Qualities: heavy-ish, oily, moist, clear
What you need:Â cast iron skillet
- 4 halved or quartered peaches (white, yellow, donut, etc)
- 4T maple syrup
- 3T ghee or coconut oil
- 3T shredded, unsweetened coconut*
- 1 – 1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder or seeds ground up
- pinch of sea salt or rock salt
1. Rinse and dry peaches completely. Cut in halves or quarters and remove the pit.
2. In a warmed cast iron, add coconut and gently stir for even toasting. When the coconut first begins to change color, add the cardamom powder and salt. Toast until the coconut is light brown and you can smell the cardamom. Remove from pan into a bowl.
3. Over medium heat, add the ghee to the cast iron pan. Once the ghee is melted and warmed. Gently place the peaches with the non-skin side down, in the pan. Â Let them cook over medium to medium-low heat until they caramelize and slightly soften. About 10-15 minutes. Depending on the size of your pan, this may need to be done in batches. Adjust oil according. To prevent sticking, a good layer of oil is needed per batch.
4. Remove peaches from the pan and turn off the stove. While the pan is still hot, add in the maple syrup to warm. Sprinkle the coconut on top of the halved or quartered peaches. Then drizzle warm maple syrup on top. Serve warm or room temperature.
*Notes from the test kitchen
- Combining or eating fruit with other foods, especially yogurt or milk is not recommend as it hinders digestion.
- For more caramelization, peached can be brushed with maple syrup prior to cooking. Warning, this can for a sticky, burnt pan. Monitor the temperature while cooking.
- For kapha and pitta constitutions or doshas (imbalances), monitor quantity. Although, semi-cooked, peaches might be too acidic if there is a pitta imbalance. Or too heavy if there is a kapha imbalance.
