HOW TO COOK SRI LANKAN JACKFRUIT
This Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry is so flavorful that you won't believe it's vegetarian! This curry is ideal for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free eaters, as well as anybody who likes spicy curry.
Because of its meaty texture, jackfruit is a distinctive fruit. It's grown quite popular in Western diets in recent years, not just because of its nutritional value, but also because it makes a fantastic faux meat alternative for dishes like BBQ pulled pig.
Jackfruit is a popular food in Sri Lanka (and many other Asian nations). The fruit is well-known for its incredible adaptability. It's edible at all stages of its existence, and each stage of the fruit has a separate Sinhalese name.
The entire fruit is referred to as "kos"
Unripe jackfruit (also known as green jackfruit or juvenile jackfruit) is considered a vegetable. This is referred to as "polos"
Jackfruit that is ripe and sweet is wonderful when eaten raw as a fruit. This is referred to as "baraka"
Today I'm going to show you how to make an authentic Sri Lankan jackfruit curry with canned young jackfruit, step by step!
REQUIRED INGREDIENTS
Young jackfruit — For this dish, you may use canned or fresh young jackfruit. There are extremely few seeds (or none at all) and very little fruit on these plants. It's usually the petals that cause the problem. I'm using my favorite brand of canned jackfruit in this recipe.
Coconut milk — A nice full-fat coconut milk brand. It's what gives this curry its creamy texture. You may use light or powdered coconut milk instead of regular coconut milk, but I like regular coconut milk.
Sri Lankan curry powder — for this, I make my own curry powder recipe. For a similar result, use store-bought Sri Lankan curry powder or Madras curry powder. To be honest, I've never bought curry powder since, to be honest, my homemade curry powder outperforms any store-bought curry powder. Simply put, the handmade version tastes far superior. My curry powder recipe is also quite adaptable, so give it a try and create some for yourself. Garam masala should not be used in this recipe.
Tamarind — This is an important component that gives the dish a beautiful fruity sourness. Of course, you may use fresh tamarind, but most Asian supermarkets also sell tamarind paste and/or concentrate. So, in the recipe, I've included quantities for both the paste and the concentrate.
SPICES
Curry leaves - Curry leaves offer a unique taste to the dish. There's no need to use fresh leaves. Instead of fresh leaves, you can use dried leaves. If you can't locate either, simply leave them out or substitute a bay leaf. In their stead, DO NOT USE BASIL, LIME ZEST, OR LEMON BALM. These have a wholly distinct flavor and taste strange in any curry, not only this jack fruit curry.
Pandan leaves can also be used (known as rampe or screwpine leaves). The flavor is not nearly as strong as curry leaves, but it will work nicely with the curry.
Cinnamon - Use Ceylon cinnamon (i.e. Sri Lankan cinnamon; sometimes known as "genuine" cinnamon) if you have it! Mexican cinnamon has a more subtle, flowery taste. However, if you just have normal cinnamon on hand, you can make do (but maybe add a little less).
Garlic and ginger, onion, black pepper, chili pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, and tamarind are some of the other spices and components. Adjust the amount of black pepper and chile pepper to your liking. My husband and I both enjoy hot curries, so we make ours extra spicy. However, I've lowered it to a degree of spice that I consider to be medium. However, you are the greatest judge of your own tastes, so use caution when adding spices to this jackfruit curry.
Pieces of coconut – This is an optional addition. My grandma and mother used to always add coconut bits to this curry when I was a kid. It lends a creamy, crunchy texture to the dish. I couldn't get enough of it as a child!
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT JACKFRUIT CURRY
In principle, you could combine all of the components in a saucepan and cook them together. It actually works (curries are very forgiving). But, in a perfect world, you'd like to extract the most flavor out of every single one of these elements. So take your time and pile those spices and tastes on top of each other.
If possible, use coconut oil. It enhances the taste. If not, simply use the cooking oil of your choice.
In a heated skillet, soften the onions and add the seasonings. The hot pan and oil will toast the curry powder, even more, intensifying the taste. However, be cautious not to burn the spices!
The jackfruit is braised in this curry. Braising might take anything from 1 to 2 hours. 1 1/2 hours is my happy medium. The result is very soft jackfruit that absorbs all of the curry's flavors like a sponge. Not only are the petals soft and yielding, but the jackfruit's "nose," which is typically rigid, will be mushy and meaty as well.
If you want to speed up the cooking process, you may use your instant pot or pressure cooker. However, because there is no evaporation of water, the resultant gravy will be quite watery. As a result, alter the liquid level to avoid this.
The jackfruit will be quite tender after braising in the curry! So, when it comes to mixing your jackfruit curry, take your time. You could wind up tearing the jackfruit if you don't. Still delectable, but not exactly the curry masterpiece you expected!
Do you have any leftovers? It's no issue. This chicken kottu roti recipe may also be used to create jackfruit kottu roti. Simply replace the chicken with the jackfruit that has been left over.
SRI LANKAN JACKFRUIT CURRY SERVING GUIDE
You may serve this curry in whatever way you choose! This jackfruit curry goes well with rice and other vegetarian side dishes for a totally plant-based supper. However, it can also be served with proteins.
If you don't want to eat rice, this curry goes well with roti, such as this real Sri Lankan coconut flatbread.
I normally serve it with Sri Lankan Pol Sambol (a spicy coconut relish), which is also quite popular in the country.
Is it possible to cook this curry with fresh jackfruit?
Yes! Just make sure you're using young jackfruit, often known as green jackfruit.
Unfortunately, where I now reside, I do not have access to fresh jackfruit. As a result, we use canned jackfruit in this dish.
Young jackfruit comes in a can with brine and may be used in a variety of jackfruit dishes. It's of excellent quality, so you won't be disappointed with the end product. It'll be really authentic.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER DISHES YOU CAN MAKE WITH JACKFRUIT?
Kiri kos is a jackfruit stew prepared with coconut milk and young jackfruit. It's not hot, but it's rich and tasty.
The recipe I'm presenting here is for a traditional Sri Lankan polo curry. It's a touch sour, with additional spices (but not necessarily spicy), and it's also creamy. Some people want their curry to be drier.
Boiled kos - Jackfruit that isn't quite ripe but isn't quite young. The jackfruit (together with the seeds) is cooked till soft and served with fresh coconut and the Sri Lankan chile symbol (lunu miris).
Polos malum - Shredded young jackfruit cooked with shredded coconut and spices. This is a dry preparation (no gravy).
Varaka is a ripe and sweet jackfruit. Raw jackfruit is one of my favorite ways to consume it. There's nothing but sweet, juicy goodness here.
Seeds of jackfruit - Jackfruit seeds are also edible! These are delicious roasted as a snack or cooked in a curry (Kos ata maaluwa).
Comments
Post a Comment