Chaat (fiery Fruit Salad)

Ingredients	Quantity
Mixed fruit in season	3 pounds
Fresh lemon juice	4 tbsp
Cayenne	2 tbsp
Paprika	1 tsp
Salt	1 tsp
Black pepper	1 tsp
Garam masala – optional	1 tsp
Powdered ginger – optional	1 tsp

In Indian, this nuclear fusion fruit salad is sold from sidewalk stands as a cooling snack on hot days. Serve with milder main dishes to assure survival to dessert.

Include 2 oranges and 2 slightly underripe bananas. Be sure to use 3-4 more types of fruit, such as apple, pear, nectarine, honeydew melon, plums, guava, mango, pitted cherries, pineapple, kiwi, seedless grapes.

Peel and seed oranges and chop in coarse chunks (about 1 1/2 inches). Peel bananas, chop then in 1-inch lengths and add to the oranges. Peel and seed such fruits as apples and melons and chop in 1 1/2-inch chunks. Place all fruit in a large serving bowl and mix in lemon juice. Mix all the spices in a separate bowl, pour over the fruit and mix well with your hands. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour.