Raw Jackfruit (Idichakka) Thoran - Kerala style

 

            Raw Jackfruit Thoran is a simple, easy and a traditional Kerala recipe that is cooked with lots of fresh coconut and other spices. It is a quick recipe, mildly spiced and don't forget to cook it in coconut oil for an authentic touch. It is tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal and red chili for a distinct flavor. This happens to be one of the items in the Onam Sadya meal, and is relished as a side dish. 

            This nutritious dish is very popular in Kerala where it is called Idichakka Thoran. There are obviously many version to this yummy preparation. Each family have their own traditional recipe.  

          Thoran in general can also be made with veggies like carrot, cabbage, beetroot, raw banana, okra, etc. It is cooked dry and is packed with flavor. You can also relish as a side dish with curd-rice, sambar rice or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy.

           Raw Jackfruit or Kathal is a common and a favorite summer vegetable. It is cooked in various ways. It is a veggie in the unripe form and is known as a vegetarian's Non-Veg. dish as the texture resembles that of mutton. Raw Jackfruit as a vegetable, is high on proteins and low in calories. It also boosts our immunity and is a great meat substitute for the vegetarians. 

           This humble vegetable has not much found its way to the dinner table. However, one can make a variety of yummy dishes like appetizers, salad, bharta stir fries and also in a curry form. The seeds too are palatable and tastes very yummy after it is cooked. 

Ingredients - 

• 1 small size tender raw jackfruit, peeled & cut into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. coconut oil
• 1 cup water

To grind  - 

• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 3 green chilies
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 4-5 shallots
• 3 dry red chilies
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 8-10 shallots, chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the jackfruit pieces in 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder and 1 tsp. oil for 3-4 whistles. When cool, drain the water and mash them coarsely. Set aside. 

          In a mixer jar, add the coconut, shallots, curry leaves, green chilies, dry red chilies and 1/4 tsp. salt. Grind into a coarse paste and set aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the mashed jackfruit for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

          Heat remaining oil and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chili.  After the seeds crackle, add the urad dal and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Then add the chopped shallots and sauté till light brown. 

          Now add the coarsely ground coconut paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

         Then add the sautéed jackfruit and salt to taste. Mix everything well and continue to stir fry for 4-5 minutes on a low to medium flame.

          When done, garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice and sambar or as a side dish with parotta. 

In a mixer jar, add the coconut, shallots, curry leaves, green chilies, dry red chilies and 1/4 tsp. salt. 

                  Grind into a coarse paste and set aside. 

Pressure cook the jackfruit pieces in 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder & 1 tsp. oil for 3-4 whistles. 

               When cool, drain the water & mash them coarsely. Set aside. 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & sauté the mashed jackfruit for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

Heat remaining oil & temper with mustard seeds and dry red chili. After the seeds crackle, add the urad dal & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                   Then add the chopped shallots & sauté till light brown. 

      Now add the coarsely ground coconut paste & sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

Then add the sautéed jackfruit & salt to taste. Mix everything well & continue to stir fry for 4-5 minutes on a low to medium flame.

                        When done, garnish with coriander leaves. 

Serve with steamed rice and sambar or as a side dish with parotta. 

Raw Jackfruit Tikki

 

          Raw Jackfruit or Kathal is a common and a favorite summer vegetable. It is cooked in various ways. So I bring to you this all time favorite appetizer or a tea-time snack in a tikki form prepared with raw jackfruit. You can also substitute it with potato or potato-paneer combination. So do try them and enjoy with sweet tamarind chutney, tomato sauce or green chutney. Do check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing treat.

              Raw Jackfruit is a veggie in the unripe form and is known as a vegetarian's Non-Veg. dish as the texture resembles that of mutton. As a vegetable, it is high on protein and low in calories. It also boosts our immunity and is a great meat substitute for the vegetarians. 

               This humble vegetable has not much found its way to the dinner table.  However, one can make a variety of yummy dishes like appetizers, salad, bharta and also in a curry form. The seeds too are palatable and tastes very yummy after it is cooked. 

• 1 small jackfruit, boiled & mashed
• 1/3 cup roasted gram flour
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• oil to shallow fry

           In a mixing bowl, add all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil) and combine everything well.

          Divide the dough into equal portions. Take each portion and give it a round flat shape. 

          Make similar stuffed tikkis with the remaining dough and refrigerate for an hour. 

         Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in a pan and shallow fry them in batches till golden brown in colour.

         Drain on a tissue paper and serve them hot as an appetizer with sweet tamarind chutney, green chutney or tomato sauce. 

         

Divide the dough into equal portions. Take each portion & give it a round flat shape. 

Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in a pan & shallow fry them in batches till golden brown in color.

                         Drain on a tissue paper.

Serve them hot as an appetizer with sweet tamarind chutney, green chutney or tomato sauce. 

Aam Shorshe Echore Bhapa (Steamed Mango Mustard Kathal / Raw Jackfruit Curry - Bong style)

 

         Check out this irresistible Bong delicacy of Kathal / Raw Jackfruit steam cooked in a yummy raw mango-mustard-coconut gravy. It is a take on the most popular Aam Shorshe Chingri / Ilish Bhapa, where prawns or Hilsa fish is cooked in the same way.

          This dish is a total amalgamation of the pungency from the freshly ground mustard seeds, a hint of sweetness from the coconut, tanginess from the raw mango and the heat from the green chilies. 

          This ridiculously simple and easy to cook dish is a very good option for a nice weekend comfort meal. Drizzle some extra mustard oil if you wish and enjoy it with hot steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this classic treat.

          I always opt for this simple recipe whenever I need something quick as raw jackfruit, being my favorite, cooked in this way turns out just amazing.

         All that you need to do, is to blend a few ingredients to make a paste, then mix them all together with the sautéed raw jackfruit and steam it and the dish is ready. 

          This is an absolutely quick fix weekend lunch for your entire family. In fact, it is a great party recipe when you have guests around.

• A small size raw jackfruit, cubed
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds, soaked for 30 minutes
• 6-8 cashew nuts / 2 tbsp. poppy seeds 
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 of a small raw mango, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp. yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. + 2 tsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• extra 2 green chilies 
• extra raw mustard oil 

           Marinate the cubed raw jackfruit with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5 minutes. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. mustard oil in a pan and sauté them till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Grind the green chilies, mustard, raw mango, cashew nuts, yoghurt and coconut into a smooth paste. 

          To it add the coriander leaves, salt, turmeric powder and 1 tbsp. mustard oil. Mix well. Keep aside. 

           

          Mix the mustard paste along with the sautéed raw jackfruit.  

          Transfer the contents into a steel tiffin box (container) with a lid. Drizzle 1 tsp. mustard oil and place 2 green chilies on the top.

          Pour some water in a pan and place the closed steel tiffin box in it. 

          Cover the pan and steam cook for 12-15 minutes. Once it cools down a little, open the lid.

          While serving, drizzle some extra mustard oil if you wish and serve with hot steamed rice. 

Note - 

          I had to make use of cashew nuts in place of poppy seeds, as the former is unavailable at my place of residence. However, there was no change in the taste and flavor. The end product was simply out of this world. 

  

                     Marinate the raw jackfruit with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 5                                      minutes. Heat 1 tbsp. mustard oil & sauté them till light brown. Keep aside. 

                        Grind the green chilies, mustard, raw mango, cashew nuts & coconut

                        to a smooth paste. To it add the coriander leaves, yoghurt, salt,

                        turmeric powder & 1 tbsp. mustard oil. 

                              Mix well. Keep aside. 

                                Mix the mustard paste along with the sautéed raw jackfruit.  

                       Transfer the contents into a steel tiffin box (container) with a lid. 

                          Drizzle 1 tsp. mustard oil & place 2 green chilies on the top.

                            Pour some water in a pan & place the closed steel tiffin box in it. 

                                Cover the pan & steam cook for 12-15 minutes. 

                                  Once it cools down a little, open the lid.

  

                         While serving, drizzle some extra mustard oil if you wish & serve

                          with hot steamed rice. 

Echore Bata (Raw Jackfruit Chutney - Bong style)

 

            This is a homemade Bong style chutney made of raw jackfruit (kathal). It may sound weird to many, but it is quite an amazing chutney. This simple and easy recipe is a far cry from all the restaurant style food. Very few ingredients are required to dish out this chutney and is sautéed in mustard oil for an authentic touch. It goes best only with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some raw mustard oil. So time to try out this rustic, village style regional delicacy. 

• 2 cups raw jackfruit, chopped & boiled
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies
• 2+1 mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1/2 tap. turmeric powder
• salt to taste 
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped (opt)

          Blend the boiled raw jackfruit, garlic and green chilies with just enough water in a mixer into a smooth paste.

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder. 

          Stir fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated. While serving, drizzle the remaining mustard oil and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Kathal Ka Bharta (Mashed Raw Jackfruit Curry)

 

          Everyone is pretty familiar with Baingan Ka Bharta (Mashed Eggplants) which is a very popular Punjabi dish. However, I gave a slight twist to the original recipe and decided to try out with raw jackfruit (kathal) and it turned out very yummy. The cooking procedure remains the same. You can relish it as a side dish with rice, chapattis, naan or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this delicacy.

                Raw Jackfruit as a vegetable, is high on proteins and low in calories. It also boosts our immunity and is a great meat substitute for the vegetarians. 

               This humble vegetable is not so popular and has not found its way to the dinner table. However, one can make a variety of yummy dishes like appetizers, salad, bharta and also in a curry form. The seeds too are palatable and tastes very yummy after it is cooked. 

• 1 small Raw Jackfruit (kathal), boiled & mashed
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. amchur
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds and add onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Fry till light brown.

          Add chopped tomato and cook till everything is mashed. Now add turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, red chili powder and amchur. Give it a stir.

          Add the mashed jackfruit and salt. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes on a low flame. When done, add coriander leaves and ghee. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                                  Boiled & mashed jackfruit.

                   Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

                             Add onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Fry till light brown.

                                 Add chopped tomatoes and cook till everything is mashed. 

                      Add turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, red chili powder & amchur. 

                      Give it a stir.

                     Add the mashed jackfruit & salt. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes on a low flame. 

                                  When done, add coriander leaves and ghee. 

                                  Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.