Savour the traditional and real Sri Lankan meal of jackfruit curry. Though there are several varieties of this jackfruit curry, this recipe makes a dish that is richer in flavour and creamy in texture. The traditional recipe uses an unripe jackfruit as it has a tendency to have a fairly hard texture, which makes it simple for the fruit to resist the high heat as it cooks. This jackfruit's texture and inherent starch enable it to absorb the flavour of the Sri Lankan spices.
Kirikos is another name for jackfruit curry. Because coconut milk is added, the dish is also known as white jackfruit curry. This Sri Lankan delicacy is gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian. The jackfruit is not particularly attractive to look at; it is large, heavy, and has spiky skin. It is fleshy but not juicy, has a dense, sweet flavour, and has an almost sickly, sweet aroma. India, which has long been thought to be the origin of jackfruit, produces most of it globally.
The Portuguese word ‘jaca’, which was taken from the Malay word ‘chakka’, gave rise to the name ‘jackfruit’. The high fibre content is beneficial for maintaining a healthy digestive function. The abundance of different nutrients keeps your body healthy. It is an energy booster because it has no cholesterol or saturated fats. This fruit is ideal for those who are anaemic. A strong heart, clear vision and bright skin are other advantages of the fruit.
Here’s the recipe for Coconut Milk Jackfruit Curry.
Ingredients:
For tempering:
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 onions (finely sliced)
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp red chilli flakes
For the curry:
- 25 jackfruit pods (raw and cleaned)
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 2-inch pandan leaf
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 1 sprig curry leaf
- 1 tsp black pepper (freshly crushed)
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 2 green chillies
- 1 cup thick coconut milk
- 1½ thin coconut milk
- Salt, to taste
Method:
- Chop the jackfruit into evenly-sized pieces.
- Oil the knife to get rid of stickiness.
- Remove the seed by making a cut in the middle of the jackfruit pod.
- You can also use your pestle and mortar to crush them.
- Remove the tough translucent skin from the seeds after they have been crushed.
- Then, use the seeds to prepare jackfruit curry.
- Keep the sliced Jackfruit in a bowl.
- Set a pan over medium-hot fire.
- Pour in the oil and turn the heat to low.
- Add curry leaves, onion, garlic, red chilli flakes, and mustard seeds
- Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes on low to medium fire.
- In a small bowl, transfer the tempered ingredients.
- Over medium heat, place the same pan you used for tempering.
- Add the Jackfruit flesh and crushed seeds.
- Then add the turmeric, coriander and cumin powder, mustard seed, garlic, onion, curry leaves, pandan leaf, cinnamon stick, and salt.
- Add the thin coconut milk.
- Once the liquid has been reduced and the jackfruit has softened, continue to simmer the curry with a lid on for 20-25 minutes.
- Pour the thick coconut milk.
- Once the gravy has been reduced and the curry has reached the ideal consistency for jackfruit, turn down the heat and let the dish simmer.
- Add the tempered ingredients and mix.
- Serve warm with rice or rotis.
