Kerala Jackfruit Recipes

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a species of tree of the mulberry family (Moraceae) and its fruit, native to southwestern India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Philippines and Sri Lanka, and possibly also east to the Malay Peninsula, though more likely an early human introduction there. It is well suited to tropical lowlands. It is commercially grown and sold in these countries, as well as imported around Australia. The English name jackfruit, one of many for the fruit, derives from Portuguese jaca, which is derived from Malayalam chakka ചക്ക .

The jackfruit is the largest tree borne fruit in the world. Its fruit is seldom less than about 25 cm in diameter. Even a relatively thin tree (circa 10 cm diameter) can bear large fruit. The fruits can reach 36 kg in weight and up to 90 cm long and 50 cm in diameter.

The sweet yellow sheaths around the seeds are about 3–5 mm thick and have a taste similar to that of pineapple but milder and less juicy.

The jackfruit has played a significant role in the Indian agriculture (and culture) from time immemorial. Archeological findings in India have revealed that jackfruit was cultivated in India 3000 to 6000 years ago. Findings also indicate that Indian Emperor Ashoka the Great (274–237 BC) encouraged arbori-horticulture of various fruits including jackfruit. Varahamihira, the Indian astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer wrote a chapter on the treatment of trees in his Brhat Samhita. His treatise includes a specific reference on grafting to be performed on trees such as jackfruit.

Jackfruit seeds Thoran

Jackfruit seeds- ¼ kg
Snake gourd- 50 gms
Drumsticks- 2 Nos.
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder half tsp
Coconut grated- one cup
Red chilli powder- one tsp
garlic- 4 pods
Cumin seeds- ¼ tsp
Oil- one tsp
Mustard seeds, urad dal- ¼ tsp each
Red chilli- one
Curry leaf – 2 sprigs

Cut jackfruit seeds into four after scraping its outer skin. Cut snakegourd into small pieces after removing its seeds. Cut the drumsticks into two cm long pieces. Wash these and add turmeric, salt and enough water and cook. Grind coconut, red chilli powder, garlic, curry leaves and cumin seeds coarsely and add to the cooked items. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, red chilli cutting into two pieces, urad dal etc and add the cooked vegetables. Stir well and off the gas when the moisture in it removed completely.

Jackfruit Erissery

Ingredients:

Raw jackfruit- 1 /4 kg
Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder-half tsp
Jackfruit seeds- 10 Nos
Coconut grated- one cup+ one tbsp
Garlic- 3 pods
Pepper- 3 Nos
Red chilli powder- one tsp
Curry leaves- 2 sprigs
Oil- one tbsp
Mustard seeds, urad dal - ¼ tsp each
Dry red chilli - one, cut into 2-3 pieces

Method: Cut each jackfruit pods into two and then into one inch pieces. Scrape jackfruit seeds and cut into round pieces having half inch thickness. Wash and transfer these to a vessel. Add turmeric, salt and enough water and cook. Grind coarsely, the coconut (one cup), red chilli powder, one sprig of curry leaf, pepper and garlic. Add this to the cooked items. Pour oil to a pan and fry red chilly, mustard seeds, urad dal, one sprig of curry leaf and one tbsp of coconut and when mustard splutters pour the curry to the pan. When it starts boiling off the gas.

Jack Fruit Avial

Raw Jackfruit -15 pods
Cucumber- 50 gm
Jack fruit seeds- 8 Nos.
Raw mango- 5 pieces
Small brinjal- one piece
Green chilly- 5 Nos.
Turmeric- half tsp
Salt- to taste
Curry leaf- 2 sprigs
Coconut grated- one and a half cup
Red chilli powder- half tsp
Cumin seeds- ¼ tsp
Coconut oil- one tbsp

Cut the jackfruit pods into two, vertically and cut into two. Scrape the seeds and cut into four, vertically. Cut one mango into five pieces. Slit two green chillies. Cut brinjal into long pieces having one inch thickness. Put this into water for a while. Wash these vegetables and put into a vessel. Add water, turmeric and salt and cook. Grind coconut, three green chillies,cumin seeds and red chilli powder coarsely. Add this to the cooked vegetables. Heat for a minute, pour coconut oil and garnish with curry leaves and off the gas.

Jackfruit Pachadi

Ripen jack fruit- 20 pods
Turmeric powder- half tsp
Salt to taste
Curd- half cup
Red chilli- 2 , cut into 2
Coconut grated- one cup
Red chilli powder- one tsp
Curry leaves- 2 sprigs
Oil- one tsp
mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds- ¼ tsp each

Cut each jackfruit pods into 2, vertically and cut each pieces into three. Remove its seeds. Add turmeric, salt and enough water and cook. Off the gas and add curd. Grind coconut, and red chilly powder coarsely and add to the jackfruit . Heat a tawa and pour oil and add red chilli pieces, mustard seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. When mustard seeds splutters pour the curry over it and off the gas when it starts to boil.


Other Jack Fruit Dishes and preparations

Jackfruit is commonly used in South and Southeast Asian cuisines. It can be eaten unripe (young) or ripe, and cooked or uncooked. The seeds can also be eaten cooked or baked like beans; they taste similar to chestnuts. The leaves are sometimes used as a wrapping for steamed Idlis.

Unripe (young) jackfruit can also be eaten whole. Young jackfruit has a mild flavour and distinctive texture. The cuisines of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Vietnam use cooked young jackfruit. In many cultures, jackfruit is boiled and used in curries as a food staple.

Kathal Subzee: Spicy vegetable with raw jackfruit from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Assam, India.

Kathal Aachar: Pickle made of jackfruit from Assam.

Pilakkai Kandbu and Dosa: Sweet dishes made with ripe jackfruit from Mangalore, India.

Gujjeda Kajipu: Dry spicy curry of raw jackfruit from Mangalore, India.

Ghariyo: Jackfruit sweet dish from Mangalore, India.

Jackfuit Pappad: Jackfruit Pappad as a snack from Mangalore, India.

Jackfruit Halwa: made from ripen jackfruit a sweet dish, part of Udupi cuisine.

Chakka Pradaman: Jackfruit pudding from Kerala, India.

Enchorer Torkari: Curry made from unripe jackfruit from West Bengal, India.

Chakka Varattiyathu: Rip jackfruit jam (with jaggery and ghee) from Kerala, India.

Chakka Varauthathu: Jackfruit Chips from Kerala, India.

Idiyan chakka: Whole tender jackfruit cooked with spices and pounded, from Kerala, India.

Panasa Koora/Panasa Pottu Koora: Traditional Jackfruit Curry made from unripe jackfruit from coastal Andhra, India

Jackfruit chips (e.g. Nafiri brand from Surabaya, Indonesia)

Asian ice desserts (including Indonesian & Filipino)

Turon, a Filipino dessert made of banana and jackfruit wrapped in an eggroll wrapper

Ingredient for cassava cake

An optional ingredient in kolak (an Indonesian mung bean and coconut based dessert).

Flavour of Juicy Fruit chewing gum.

Jackfruit candy

Vitamin Water sells a jackfruit–guava (b+ theanine) beverage

Jackfruit smoothies or milkshakes

Atu Kos: Smoked jackfuit – a way of preserving it, to use during non-season in Sri Lanka.

Gudeg: traditional dish from Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia.

Lodeh: traditional Indonesian vegetable dish with coconut milk.

Gule Nangka: traditional Indonesia spicy curry Indonesia.

Raithey: sour curry with boiled young jackfruit, raw mango & raw papaya part of Navayath cuisine from Bhatkal,Karnataka, India.

Fansa Nevaryo: Navayath sweet dish of rice ground with ripen jackfruit stuffed with coconut and jaggery and steamed after wrapping in banyan leaves from Bhatkal, Karnataka, India.

Humba Nangka:curry made from unripe jackfruit and coconut milk Bohol, Philippines.
Gatti or Gidde in Tulu where ripe jackfruit is ground with rava to form thick paste which is put on a teak wood leaf and then cooked in steam. The gidde is ready.

An optional ingredient in Sayur asam (Indonesian clear soup; the name means tamarind vegetables)

Also ingredient in Indonesian traditional Minangkabau cuisine.

Jackfruit salad: Vietnamese dish with boiled young jackfruit.

Kiri Kos: A creamy jackfruit curry cooked with coconut milk from Sri Lanka.

Polos Ambul: Tender jackfuits cooked with spices from Sri Lanka.

Kalupol Maluwa: Jackfruit nuts cooked with spices and mixed with scraped coconut from Sri Lanka.

Fanas Poli: Sun dried Jackfruit pulp with sugar from Konkan.