5-SPICE APPLE AND RHUBARB CRUMBLE
Breakfast or dessert? This recipe is delicious at any time of day! The last two years, I have allowed the rhubarb plant that I inherited in my garden to grow all the way through summer without harvesting — resulting in a rather comically huge plant, not unlike something you might find in a little shop of horrors. It looked impressive and the rhubarb stems were huge but they lacked flavour and were very stringy. This year I’ve already harvested 10 tart, tangy and tender stems to make 2 crumbles so far, using them to add flavour and texture to any apples that need eating in the form of an easy peasy crumble. Rhubarb is also Tridoshic and more a veggie than a fruit. Spice, as you know, is a popular addition in Ayurvedic cooking and a pot of Chinese 5-spice, usually reserved for my congee, provided the easy honours. Chinese 5-spice is (as the name indicates!) a blend of 5 spices, though sometimes more — my pot from the supermarket contains cinnamon, fennel, star anise, ginger and cloves. It might also contain black pepper, ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, cardamomum, licorice, Mandarin orange peel or galangal — all yum — depending on where you buy it. If you can’t find Chinese 5-spice, check in the tips below for alternatives. What I love about a crumble is the easy assembly for the cook yet it never fails to make guests eyes light up - and so flatters the cooks ego! Just chop the fruit, pop into a dish, blend the topping, top the fruit and bake. And you can make it in advance. And you can probably use any fruit you have to hand (reduce the jaggery as fruit is much sweeter naturally than rhubarb). Oh and yes — it’s delicious for breakfast or dessert, with or without the custard, but much better as a meal in itself for those with digestive issues: a full meal plus dessert is a heavy job for most people!
INGREDIENTS
5 apples (~400g)
5 stems rhubarb (~400g)
Optional: 2 tbsp jaggery
For the crumble topping
200g rolled oats/buckwheat flakes
150g rice flour/tapioca
100g butter/ghee/coconut oil
100g jaggery/coconut sugar (you can use much less if this is a breakfast dish and if you’re using sweeter fruit instead of rhubarb)
2 tsp 5-spice*
½ tsp sea salt
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
Chop the apple and rhubarb into 1 inch chunks and place into an oven-proof dish and sprinkle with 2 tbs of jaggery if the apples are particularly tart
In a food processor pulse the oats, flour, jaggery, butter and 5 spice. Blend until you have a nice, crumbly mixture. Taste and add more 5-spice if you like
Spread over the top of apple/rubharb mix and bake for 40 mins or until top is golden and the fruit is tender
Serve as is for breakfast or with a Chai-spiced custard — recipe coming soon!
East by West tips:
* Can’t find Chinese 5 spice? Some options:
Make your own — recipe here
Use Mixed Spice (check the label first in case it contains cumin! I wouldn’t mind it, but might be a shock for your guests)
Use allspice — this can be really pungent so use half the amount, taste and add more if necessary
Just stick to cinnamon — a favourite with many!