Charred Pineapple with Chilli, Lime & Coconut
Pineapple spears blackened at the edges, dusted with chilli and salt, and squeezed over with lime the moment they land.
Why it works
Pineapple is acidic and very wet, so it needs high heat and thick pieces: cut spears rather than rings and the outside chars before the inside turns to mush. Salt and chilli on hot fruit is the logic of a street-cart mango — the salt pulls the sweetness forward, and the chilli gives it somewhere to go.
Method
- Heat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Mix the chilli powder, chipotle, salt and lime zest on a saucer.
- Turn the spears with the honey in a bowl and lay them in the basket in one layer, splitting the batch if they overlap. Crowded spears steam and stay pale.
- Air fry for 7 minutes, turning them once at 4 minutes. They are ready when the edges are properly black in places and the surface has gone glassy and wet-looking.
- Add the coconut flakes to the basket for the last 90 seconds only, shaking once. They go white to gold to burnt in seconds, so stay near.
- Pile the pineapple onto a platter, dust heavily with the chilli salt and squeeze over a lime wedge. Serve with the yoghurt, coconut, coriander or mint leaves and remaining limes.
For the toddler
Set two spears aside before the honey goes on at step 2, since honey is not for a baby under one year old and pineapple is sweet enough as it is. Cook them dry alongside and keep the chilli salt and the coconut flakes off their plate. Let the fruit cool for a few minutes, then cut it into short pieces across the grain and serve it with plain yoghurt.
How the toddler notes workChef’s notes
Mango cheeks, watermelon batons or thick wedges of firm peach. Watermelon needs 4 minutes and no honey at all.
Buy a prepared pineapple and cut the rings into spears. Two minutes of prep instead of five.
A jug of iced hibiscus tea, or coffee with a strip of orange peel dropped in.
Keeps 2 days chilled. Chop it cold into a salsa with red onion, coriander and more lime, and eat it with grilled fish.