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Spring’s first asparagus always feels like a celebration, but there’s so much more to cooking those spears than just butter and lemon. Here, those tender stems combine with bold Indian flavours in two playful dishes. The thoran, inspired by Keralan home cooking, involves stir-frying asparagus with coconut, mustard seeds and curry leaves to create something warm and comforting (my friend Simi’s mum always used to drizzle it with a little lemon juice to give the flavours a lift). The chaat, meanwhile, tossed with tangy tamarind, yoghurt, spices, crunchy chickpeas and sweet pomegranate, is a delicious snack or side. Together, they show how versatile asparagus can be: easy to cook, vibrant and moreish even in unexpected culinary traditions.
Asparagus thoran (pictured top)
Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
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 set over a medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the mustard and cumin seeds, the whole dried chillies and the curry leaves, cook for 30 or so seconds, until they all start to sizzle and smell fragrant, then add the sliced shallots and green chillies, and 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.
Take off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and chopped coriander, and serve at once.
Asparagus chaat
Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
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. While the oven is warming up, spread the drained chickpeas in a single layer on a baking tray, then sprinkle over the crushed black pepper, half a teaspoon of the salt, and a teaspoon each of the chilli flakes and crushed cumin seeds.
Drizzle over the sunflower oil, toss so the chickpeas are evenly coated, then roast for about 15 minutes, until the chickpeas are golden and crisp; shake the tray once halfway through, so they crisp evenly on all sides. (Ovens vary, so check on the chickpeas after 12 minutes – they may need slightly more or less time.)
Meanwhile, cook the diced potato in a pan of lightly salted water for eight to 10 minutes, until cooked through but not mushy, then drain and leave to steam-dry.
Put a griddle pan on a high heat. Once it’s hot, cook the asparagus spears in batches for two to three minutes, turning them occasionally: the spears should still be slightly crisp and have a good bite (thicker ones may need a little longer in the pan).
When the chickpeas are ready, tip them into a bowl. Put the grilled asparagus spears on the empty baking tray and cut them all in half widthways. Scatter over a half-teaspoon of salt, the remaining half-teaspoon of chilli flakes, half a teaspoon of crushed cumin seeds and a teaspoon of the chutney, then toss gently so the asparagus is evenly coated.
In a bowl, combine the yoghurt, milk, remaining half-teaspoon each of salt and crushed cumin, and all the caster sugar, and whisk smooth.
Now it’s time to layer all the various components of the chaat on a platter. Arrange the asparagus on the plate, then scatter the potatoes evenly on top. Sprinkle with half the roast chickpeas, then drizzle the yoghurt mix all over the top. Spoon on the tamarind chutney and the remaining chickpeas, sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds, chopped coriander and chaat masala, if using, then take to the table and tuck in.
