Cardamom-Cinnamon Apples with Sweetened Yogurt & Pistachios (Sev Ka Murabba): An Easy, Warm & Comforting Dessert

Is anything more comforting than sweet warm spiced apples? This Indian-flavored version adapted from Madhur Jaffrey adds cardamom to the mix. I made a few changes to the recipe--reducing the sugar and butter, adding dried sweet cherries for extra color, changing the whipped cream topping to sweetened yogurt, etc. My changes are in red below.  

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



Cardamon-Cinnamon Apples with Sweetened Yogurt & Pistachios (Sev Ka Murabba)
Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking
(Serves 4)

1/4 lb (1 stick) unsalted butter (reduced to 1/2 stick)
4 medium-sized tart, firm apples (I used Granny Smith & Honey Crisp)
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon (I used 1/4 tsp)
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup sugar (I used 1/3 cup)
3 Tbsp blanched slivered almonds (I used 4 tablespoons)
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts (I omitted)
(I added 2 Tbsp dried tart cherries)

*Topping:
1 cup yogurt
2 tsp honey
2 Tbsp unsalted pistachios, chopped

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

Serve on individual plates with a dollop of the yogurt and sprinkle with chopped pistachio.

*Note: Jaffrey's recipe suggests heavy whipping cream blended with half of the pistachios. Instead, I sweetened thick Greek yogurt with a touch of honey and sprinkled all of the pistachios on top as a garnish.

Notes/Results: I am used to warm cinnamon apples but the cardamom is an excellent addition. The warming spices are so good with the apples--it makes for a cozy little dish, especially with the sweetened yogurt on top. I did reduced the butter and sugar by half--since I used 2 Honey Crisp apples with the 2 Granny Smith's and added the dried cherries, I thought it would be plenty sweet and it was. My mandoline sliced apples were perhaps a bit thin to hold their shape but the flavor was there. This was a great, easy not-to-heavy dessert. I will make it again. 

We are celebrating Red & Green at I Heart Cooking Clubs--perfect for the holiday week. You can see what everyone made by going to the post and following the links.