Marinated Peppers with Roasty Toasty Dressing

Photo by:

Melati Citrawireja

While gathering recipes for our cookbook, we discovered and tested more dishes than we could possibly include. These bonus recipes are straight from the home kitchens of our farm partners: seasonal staples, and heirloom favorites you won’t find anywhere else. For more such recipes, order The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook here!

Inspired by a pepper and onion sabzi we ate on the Bishnoi family’s Jodhana Cumin farm, this antipasto-inspired take combines roasted green peppers with Asha’s roasty-toasty dressing (one of my fave dressings ever!). Serve as a pickle-like condiment alongside Rajasthani Dal (recipe in the cookbook), or enjoy with crusty bread and a soft, fresh cheese, like chevrè, feta, or burrata. If green peppers aren’t your thing, swap in red, orange, or yellow bell peppers.

Ingredients

5 to 6 Anaheim or Poblano or green bell peppers (about 1 pound, 454 grams)
1½ teaspoons Nandini Coriander
1½ teaspoons Jodhana Cumin
1 teaspoon Hariyali Fennel
⅛ teaspoon ajwain seeds
Zest of 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
Juice of 1 lemon (2 to 4 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon preserved lemon, finely chopped, optional
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more
A few cracks Aranya Black Pepper
½ cup (118 milliliters) extra virgin olive oil

Methods

In batches, place the peppers on two gas burners, one or two on each burner, set to medium-high, roasting them directly over the flame, rotating them until charred on all sides, 6 to 10 minutes. (Alternatively, grill the peppers whole on medium-high heat or broil about 6 inches from the heat source until deeply charred on all sides.) Wrap the peppers in plastic wrap and let steam for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Heat a tadka spoon or small skillet over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds, and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and the coriander seeds are a couple shades darker, 30 seconds to 1½ minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool completely. Add ⅛ teaspoon ajwain seeds and pulse into a medium-coarse powder, 15 to 20 pulses.
Transfer the toasted, ground spices to a mason jar and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, preserved lemon, if using, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, fine sea salt, and black pepper, seal and shake to combine. Add the olive oil, seal again, and shake vigorously to emulsify. Taste and season with more salt, if necessary. Set aside.