Pan-fried potatoes with browned onions – I added cauliflower

One of the upsides of living in Harlem is it feels like an old-fashioned neighborhood. We walk everywhere. We walk to school, swimming lessons, Central Park, birthday parties, and barbecues. Everything is within a 5-10 block radius, which is what I love most about living in Manhattan. I cherish our community of neighbors and friends in Harlem, which has become a large, extended family over the years.

When Liam was invited to his classmate Sequoia’s apartment a few months ago, Sean couldn’t stop talking about the best pork chop he ever had, courtesy of Sequoia’s dad, Chris. We finally got together for a potluck recently to mark the end of the summer and the start of the new school year. Chris and Amy love Indian food, so they asked if we could bring side dishes to accompany these epic pork chops. I’ve been to plenty of potlucks, but honestly, I was a little stumped about what to make. I debated. And debated. What specific Indian dishes would work best with thick, juicy pork chops that were brined for hours in maple syrup, crushed garlic, and Guinness?

I needed dishes that would complement the pork chops and add to the experience, rather than creating too much of a contrast. When many people think of Indian cuisine, images of curries swimming in sauces often come to mind. Given the diversity of the Indian sub-continent, there are many, many dishes that are dry-roasted, pan-seared, or tempered with whole spices…and are not the least bit saucy or overpowering in flavor.

Pan-fried potatoes with browned onions – I added a small head of cauliflower

Knowing Chris and Amy love lentils and knowing that apples are often paired with pork, I instantly knew what to make: sweet and smoky red lentils that are stewed with coconut, carrots, and tomatoes, and then tempered with black mustard seed, garlic, crushed red chilli pepper, lime juice, and honey. I would also make dry-roasted potatoes with crispy browned onions, since potatoes and pork seem to go together too. Because Amy’s mom Bonnie loves cauliflower, I chopped up a small head of cauliflower and seared it with the potatoes. If you’re invited to a potluck, don’t give it another thought, just make these dishes. They will be memorable and add flair to any potluck table.

Lentil Curry Stew

I made the two dishes in advance of the potluck; once they had cooled to room temperature, I transferred them to wide Rubbermaid containers with firm lids that snapped shut. Once at the potluck, I reheated them slowly on the stovetop on a low flame.

Within twenty minutes, we’d steamed some basmati rice, the lentils and potatoes were warmed through, and Chris was taking the charred pork chops off the grill. It all went together seamlessly. With full glasses of Malbec, we toasted the summer and ushered in the new school year.