Spicy pineapple sorbet

One of the most intriguing spices in Mexico is tajin seasoning. In San Francisco, we had a large persimmon tree. Our gardener would pick the fruit for his family and community. One day, I asked him how he enjoyed the fruit, to which he replied with Tajin. He promptly left and came back with a bottle for me, and it has been a pantry staple ever since.

Tajin seasoning is a mix of chilli, salt, and dehydrated lime. Sweet, sour, and tangy, it is a perfect blend of pop on your palate. Traditionally, it is used on fruit, including persimmons, but it can also be added to salads, stews, and grilled meats.

The roadside fruit sellers across Mexico use this spice liberally. On hot days, as you walk through the history of Mexico City, the fruit vendors call your name for a slice of refreshment, always sprinkled liberally with Tajin. In India, we have a similar concept; the fruit sellers use a mix of chilli and salt on fruit or the more infamous chaat masala.

This recipe is a riff on these traditional flavours; the sweetness of the pineapple is bolstered by the hint of chilli and the earthiness of the mint. This is a simple sorbet, but one that takes you back to the streets of Mexico. This sorbet has the perfect balance of flavours and is best served as a pre-dessert.

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Ingredients: 2 pineapples, peeled

3 tablespoons jaggery

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons mint

1 arbol chilli, lightly toasted

Add the pineapple to a blender and purèe until you have a smooth liquid. Make sure all the fibres of the pineapple are broken down. Push the juice through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure all the fibres and bits are removed. If you want a more rustic sorbet, you can skip this step.

Add the juice back to the blender and add the rest of the ingredients. Purèe until the chillies and mint are smooth.

Churn in an ice cream machine on the sorbet setting.