Chire Doi (flattened rice with yogurt) with Caramelized Pineapple

Chire Doi is a typical Bengali breakfast or evening food in the summer. Chilled creamy yogurt mixed up with flattened rice is scrumptious on its own. But then obviously we always have to take it to another level by jazzing it up. So in the summer we add in ripe bananas and ripe mangoes to it. Of course they have to be chilled to. Some prefer them chopped and some like to mash them up with the yogurt and then eat. You can also add “batasha” to it to give a nice sweety crunch. I will post this dish in the summer when ripe mangoes are available without any effort.

But now...when the mangoes are not available...the star attraction of Chire – doi...which sometimes make me confused that which one is main...the chire – doi or the mangoes?? But lets save the question for another time...and so...I decided to make caramelized pineapples instead of them. Caramelized pineapples are smokey, sweet and sour...and they go terribly well with chilled yogurt or frozen yogurt. Eat them when they are just out of the pan and this is something heavenly which you will remember for the rest of your life. Terribly delicious!!

As for the winter...Abidjan is rather cooler than usual and cool breezes are soothing us nicely. The weather reminds me of the beautiful fall mornings in Kolkata. Not hot not cold...but still you will need a heavy cloth to warm you. I am so much enjoying this!!

Chire Doi with Caramelized Pineapples

For 1 person

Chire doi:

Ingredients:

1 cup thick yogurt (very very chilled)

A handful of flattened rice / chire

Sugar – as per taste

1-2 tbsp honey / maple syrup

Caramelized Pineapple:

½ of a pineapple

¼th cup of castor sugar

Juice of 1 lime

Pinch of kosher salt

1-2 tbsp butter

Method:

Wash the chire / flattened rice 2/3 times lightly with room temperature water. Do not stir it too much while washing or it will become mushy.

In a bowl take the yogurt and sugar and whisk until smooth and well combines.

Add the chire / flattened rice to the yogurt.

Mix well. If you want add some raw pineapples to it.

Cut the pineapple in wedges and push into individual skewers into them.

Put the sugar in a plate and rub the pineapple wedges over them to coat them nicely with sugar.

Now drizzle the lime juice over them and sprinkle the kosher salt.

Melt the butter in a griddle pan and put the pineapple skewers on them side by side.

Fry them over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until they are nicely browned. Then flip them over and cook the other side. If required add more butter to prevent the pineapples from burning.

Once done, serve them immediately with the chilled chire-doi / flattened rice with yogurt.