KADGI TALAASAN
A TENDER JACKFRUIT SIDE DISH
Introduction:
The
jackfruit season is starting in India. On almost every jackfruit tree, you can
find plenty of tender jackfruit hanging with an open invitation for you to
pluck, to cook and to enjoy (with the permission of the owner of the tree, of
course!). Most Indians prepare several delicious dishes from this natural
bounty which is free of all pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Jackfruit also
contains plenty of dietary fibre and a tremendous amount of nutrition. So dear
viewers, do make it a habit not to miss a single chance to consume jackfruit
(see my earlier post) and to serve
it to your dear ones.
Ingredients:
1) Tender jackfruit – 1 kg.
2) Dry hot red chilies – 5 Nos.
3) Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
4) Coconut oil – 2 tablespoons
5) Garlic – 1 pod
6) Salt – 1 teaspoon
1) Tender jackfruit – 1 kg.
2) Dry hot red chilies – 5 Nos.
3) Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
4) Coconut oil – 2 tablespoons
5) Garlic – 1 pod
6) Salt – 1 teaspoon
Tips on
cutting:
Jackfruit is generally full of sticky white gum. Most of the
gum is concentrated in the central core, the stem and in the thorny peel. The
fleshy portion is relatively free of gum. When you pluck a tender jackfruit
from the tree, it is better to leave it on a stone or a brick for some of the
gum to drip off the stem.
Before starting to cut the fruit, you should keep a
tablespoon of coconut oil in a saucer by your side. Keep as well a few sheets
of old newspaper after tearing them to notebook sized pieces. Now spread a
couple of full sheets of newspaper on the kitchen table.
Take a little coconut oil in your palm and rub it well over
both your hands. Take a sharp, strong, long knife and grease the blade with
coconut oil. Put the tender jackfruit on the newspaper and cut it across into
two halves. The tender jackfruit is quite tough and you may need to put your
weight on the knife, one hand on the handle and the other pressing down on the
back of the blade near the tip.
As soon as the fruit is cut, a stream of gum will start
oozing out. Crumple up the bits of newspaper to wipe off the gum twice or
thrice and put the gummy bits on a folded sheet of newspaper, taking care not
to get any gum on the floor or on your clothes (if by accident, you do, the gum
happens to be soluble in any vegetable oil or in kerosene or in other
industrial solvents).
Now divide each half lengthwise in the center, then again and
once again to get 8 long triangular pieces. Wipe off the gum whenever
necessary. Once the pieces stop oozing the gum, carefully cut away and discard
the hard core and also the green thorny outer peel. Now cut each piece into 2
or 3 large chunks and set aside.
To cook:
Put the tender jackfruit chunks into a pressure cooker. Tip
in the salt and pour in enough water to submerge the chunks. Close the lid and
set on high heat. As soon as you hear the first whistle, switch off the heat
and let cool naturally. Meanwhile, separate the garlic cloves and crush them
lightly (if not crushed, the garlic cloves may burst when they hit the hot
oil).
Break each red chili into 2 or 3 pieces. Check the cooker to
see whether the steam has subsided. If yes, open the lid and drain off the
excess water. Transfer the cooked chunks to a metal bowl or a basin and crush
lightly with the bottom of a stainless steel glass.
Set a thick cast iron wok on the stove. Pour in the oil and
throw in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish
crackling, tip in the garlic cloves. Stir till the garlic turns a light brown.
Now tip in the chilies and stir once. Chuck in the crushed jackfruit. Stir
nicely and taste. Add more salt only if required.
Lower the heat and stir occasionally till the jackfruit gets
nicely heated up. For greater taste, take some time to roast the jackfruit
lightly, remembering to stir occasionally in order to avoid burning at the
base. Your delicious kadgi talaasan
is ready to serve.
Serve hot with rice, cherupayar kanji or with porridge. You can also
pick off the red chilies and roll the talaasan in chappatis or simply use as a delicious sandwich filling.
Enjoy!!!
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