Sweet and sour grilled zucchini

Zucchini is given a makeover of flavours with sweetness from brown sugar and sourness from tamarind puree in this simple, fragrant recipe.

Credit: Danielle Abou Karam

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 12 small green zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Tamarind sauce

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 small red onions, finely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 small green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh curry leaves
• 100 g brown sugar
• 300 ml tamarind puree
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 4 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• ½ cup coriander leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat a barbecue or chargrill pan over high heat.
2. Brush the zucchini halves with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook the zucchini, cut–side down for 2-3 minutes or until lightly charred, then turn and cook the other side until al dente.
3. Meanwhile, for the tamarind sauce, heat a large frying pan over medium heat until hot. Add the oil, then the onion, garlic and chillies and cook until beginning to colour. Add the curry leaves and fry for 1 minute or until wilted.
4. Add the sugar, tamarind, cumin and salt and simmer gently for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the diced tomato, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary – there should be an equal balance of sweet, sour and salty flavours. Add the grilled zucchini, stir to coat thoroughly, then simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Tear over the coriander leaves and serve hot.

 

Photography by Danielle Abou Karam.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.