Sweet Pineapple Stewed in Pigeon Pea Broth

With his nose up in the air, the skeptic at my table pooh-poohed the notion of adding pineapple to the classic tamarind-based curry his mother made daily. I quietly poured a serving of my sweet-tart-hot adaptation over a mound of slightly sticky long-grain rice. A few sips of the broth gave way to approval, as he refilled his bowl three times. I wanted to tell him that his mother did not always know best, but I took the high road and kept my mouth shut.