Jackfruit Curry

'Jackfruit Curry' is literally one such vegetable I would love to have in lots during the summer months. Raw Jackfruits are cooked unlike any other vegetables quite very similar to how a non-veg recipe is cooked. Jackfruits are basically called as 'Echor' in Bengali or very commonly called 'Kathal' and it is widely used as a vegetable rather than a fruit. We Bengalis prepare a lot more of the dishes with jackfruit, as it is the common man's food for special occasions cooked in a grand manner. Nonetheless 'Jackfruit Curry' could be actually known as the meat kind of recipe for the vegetarian hoggers.

Raw Jackfruits are most commonly prepared in West Bengal and also the other parts of Eastern India. On visiting the remote places of West Bengal one would discover a whole lot of big enough trees grown in most of the fields and also by the sides of even houses. The fresh tender, green raw jackfruit tastes amazing and far better than what's been bought and cooked from the market. The home-chefs at the remote household creates a magic and turns this simple recipe into a sophisticating rich, heavy and tastier delight that one would keep licking their fingers while having a jackfruit curry.

Jackfruit Curry

The best part of a jackfruit is that it can be enjoyed as a fruit once they are ripened. As the summer comes to an end, just at the beginning of the monsoon, the jackfruits ripen and we eat the yellow juicy pulp part of the fruit, throwing away the big seeds. However, the raw jackfruit seeds are edible as they are soft and gives a different flavour to a dish quite similar to the nuts. I've come across few places like Malaysia where jackfruits are very common and people sell them everywhere, even at the malls they offer it as a fruit salad. Well! as it is that Malaysia is very famous for dates, palms, coconut, and numerous species of jackfruits.

During my stay in Bangalore around 16 years ago, we would not find jackfruits in the market. It's only that huge trees were grown in the Lalbagh or Cubbon Park with extraordinarily large and eye-catching jackfruits hung on each and every branch. And it was assumed that people did not know how to eat jackfruit there as they think it to be a poisonous fruit, well! that's what I used to hear at that time when I was just a kid. But after so many years I find many Bengalis living in South India do prepare jackfruit dishes now.

'Jackfruit Curry' is absolutely delicious with very basic and common ingredients from the kitchen. The cooking method is similar to any non-veg recipes. This recipe is the most sought out and much-needed dish for the summers. Jackfruits are cooked with a variety of masalas and it simply tastes great. 'Jackfruit Curry' is flavorful and has a mouthwatering taste along with a meaty texture of the cooked jackfruit. This 'Jackfruit Curry' Recipe is exotically delicious and makes for a fantastic vegetarian main dish. It is less spicy but holds the strong aroma of garam masala. The recipe is very simple and I've shared the stepwise instructions and methods for the recipe, head on!!

Jackfruit Curry

Tips: Grease palms with mustard oil before chopping the jackfruit to avoid the sticky latex. Or wear gloves and apply oil slightly on the jackfruit.

[Veg]

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Course: Side

Cuisine: Indian/ Bengali

Serves: 4

Measuring Items: 1 cup = 150 ml ; Teaspoon

Ingredients:

1. Jackfruit- 1 whole (approx.1 kg)
2. Potato- 5
3. Onion- 3
4. Tomato- 4
5. Green chili- 4
6. Ginger- 1 inch
7. Garlic- 6 cloves
8. Bengal gram (Kala Chana)- 1 cup

Spices:

1. Panch Phoron- 1 Tsp
2. Turmeric powder- 2 Tsp
3. Salt- 4 tsp (or according to taste)
4. Sugar- 1 Tsp
5. Red Mirchi powder- 3 Tsp
6. Garam masala- 2 tsp
7. Cloves (laung)- 6
8. Mustard oil- half a cup

Method:

How to prepare ‘Jackfruit Curry’ with step by step pictures and instructions-

1. Soak Kala Chana in water for 3 hours or overnight.
2. Chop jackfruit and potato into cube size, put into a pressure cooker along with Chana and 2 cups of water (water that's sufficient enough levelling up the vegetables)
   
3. Pressure cook jackfruit, potato, and chana with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt (approx. 2 or 3 whistles)
   
4. Meanwhile, chop the other vegetables.
   
5. Drain water from the boiled vegetables in a strainer and keep the stock for later use.
   
6. Heat a cooking wok with oil, put panch phoron and laung for seasoning.
7. Then keep adding sliced onion, green chili, ginger-garlic paste, and sugar. Saute for 2 minutes.
   
8. Now add the chopped tomatoes and fry for another 2 minutes.
   
9. Put turmeric powder, red Mirchi powder and a pinch of salt. Cook until oil leaves by the side.
   
10. After 5 minutes, add the boiled vegetables one after the other and mix them well.
      
11. Pour in 2 cups of water stock with garam masala.
    
12. Bring it to a boil and cook for another 5 minutes.
    

'Jackfruit Curry' is ready in just about half an hour. Serve this delightful curry with hot steamed rice or paratha along with some chutney to go with it in the hot summers afternoon meal. Prepare this easy to make 'Jackfruit Curry' and share your story with me. Till then enjoy cooking, serving and eating!!

Paromita Pramanick ©2018. All Rights Reserved.