Jackfruit Curry

We call Jackfruit, Palaa pazham in Tamil: it is the second of the Mukkani (three auspicious fruits) , Ma,Palaa,Vazhai (Mango,Jack-fruit and Banana)It is important for people to present it to the Gods on Tamil New-years day April 14th.

Many childhood memories associated with Jackfruit came rushing to my mind ,when I saw JFI event for Jackfruit. .During summer holidays,my periappa (father’s cousin brother)would bring cart loads of jackfruit and mangoes from our ancestral village.

That was a event in itself.Helpers would bustle up and down ,unloading the huge jackfruits to store them in the store room while we kids ran and jumped around excitedly, getting in their way!

I remember,sneaking into the dark store room that smelt like a fruit cocktail , to check if the fruit is ready to eat and sweet heady aroma the ripe Jackfruit would prevail all over the house. I would just stay there a little longer to inhale all the sweetness. At one point,it became so irresistible,we couldn’t wait any longer.We’d pester our dad so much until he gave in and cut it for us ;my dad and periappa,(father’s elder brother) would apply oil on their fingers and peel the large jackfruit.

We would gather around them in a circle, giggling and chattering, as to who is going to eat the most.We’d eat all those delicious honey sweet yellow bulbs for breakfast ,lunch and dinner .And get warned that we would end up with a stomach ache if we went at that rate no, I don’t remember ever ending up with stomachache,however I ate so much that my grandmom ended up calling me a pazha unni……Fruit Bat

Later we’d collect all the seeds and bug our grandmom to roast it in the verakadupu ( earthern stove ) for us.Often she ‘d collect the seeds from us and add it to pulikulambu and Karuvattu kulambu or make poriyal with them.

Some like to soak the ripe jackfruit in honey and eat it and swear there is nothing compared to its taste. Although mom would make chakka vartti and chakka payasam so that the fruit doesn’t go waste, I prefer to eat jackfruit fresh,the sweetness in really ripe fruits, is truly out of the world.

I like using palaakaais ( raw jackfruit)in kootus and curries .

Jackfruit Curry

This is a very simple dish that we usually make with small jackfruit called curry palaa.

Ingredients

1 small raw jackfruit

1 onion

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp sambar powder(amma’s powder )

1/2 tsp Madras curry powder

2 heaped tbsp coconut powder

salt to taste

Method:

Chop Onion finely.Peel and cut the jackfruit into cubes.(you might want to use a large knife as it is hard to cut ) Mix coconut powder in a cup of water.Keep aside.

Pour oil in a pressure pan,add cumin seeds.When they splutter,add chopped onion and saute till it turns pink.Add the chopped jackfruit pieces.Saute well till they turn limp.

Add Sambar powder,salt and curry powder.Pour in the coconut milk .Close lid of the pressure pan.Cook till soft and all the water evaporates .

This is my entry for JFI Jackfruit hosted by Bee