Bamchount – Kashmiri curried apples

In September, the Quince apple trees are laden and the apples grow intense and juicy in our vegetable garden. The taste of these apples in Kashmir, right from the trees, is exquisite and much superior to what I may find in the vegetable markets in my hometown in Virginia. There is a childlike joy of anticipation when I travel to Kashmir, eagerly awaiting the crisp fruit and vegetables cooked beautifully and simply from the garden.

Recipes are many and vary in different households. I was continuously learning, watching over the dexterous hands that were quick but not exact. The recipes would change depending on what was on hand or growing outside – that was the true beauty of a dish with freshly picked produce.

In the case of BamChount ( or Bammchoont pr Bumchounth or other spelling variations), it is essentially cooked Quince apples in spices. Tart and slightly sweet it is a superb finger-licking fiber-rich curry to be had with white rice. I would suggest eating with your hand to really enjoy the finger-licking phenomenon 😉

It is common to fry the apples before making the curry but here, we have just parboiled them for 5 mins and kept it lighter on the oil.

The recipe is Jawa’s- who is a dear lady and a fabulous cook at our home. This recipe is her family’s recipe that uses tomatoes and may be different from other recipes you will find on the internet. Enjoy it!

Do watch the video below to see the chef in action 🙂

The Recipe

Bamchount - Kashmiri curried apple

Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium
Print

This is a beautiful quince apple curry made in a tomato base with aromatic spices

Ingredients

4-5 quince apples – peeled, core removed and chopped in large chunks
4 small to medium crushed tomatoes
3 green chilies sliced lengthwise
4 cloves of garlic chopped
1 shallot chopped finely
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp coriander powder
3 green cardamom pods
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom pod
Salt to taste
Oil ( I used 2 tbsp of mustard oil)

Directions

Add the chunks of apples to boiling water and drain after 5 mins. This step is optional – you can cook them directly as well but this helps the cooking process
Heat oil and add the garlic and shallots. Add the cardamom and cinnamon.
Add the tomatoes and cook down until the oil separates from the tomatoes
Add green chilies and saute for a minute or so.
Add all the ground spices followed by the apples.
Sauté until the apples and the spices are all mixed together.
Add about a cup of water to cover the apple. Cook on low medium heat, covered, until the apples are cooked down and the sauce has thickened.
Adjust the salt as you taste.
Serve with white rice