Kathal ki Sabzi/Jackfruit Veg

Jackfruit aka Kathal is amazing veg and fruit. You can make amazing Kathal ki sabzi, Jackfruit cutlets, and pickles with its raw form and eat it raw as a fruit when it is ripe. I have recently come across a lot of Jackfruit popsicles, kheer, and other dessert recipes with the ripe Jackfruit recently.

I have been fortunate to grow up in a very luscious green township where everyone had big gardens with lots of veggies and fruit trees. People used to share their produce with each other as well. We would always share lemons, jamuns, guavas, amlas/gooseberries, and mangoes from our trees. I remember we never had to buy mangoes for pickle since we had two trees of our own and our neighbors would send raw mangoes to us. Similarly, we had two family friends with peach trees, one with a cashew tree, three with drumstick trees, and two with jackfruit trees. Think you get the drift, haha.

Jackfruit trees are so bountiful. I loved the sight of huge trees laden with raw jackfruit in summer; growing in abundance from the top until about 2 feet off the ground. A family could never consume that much and we would keep getting jackfruit throughout summer. One of my aunties used to make amazing jackfruit sabzi by dep frying them; I have however created this healthier version, which does not compromise with the flavor at all.

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 25-30 minutes
SERVINGS: 3-4
DIFFICULTY SCALE: Medium

INGREDIENTS:   

1. Jackfruit/Kathal pieces – About 200gms
2. Onion – 1 large
3. Tomato – 4, medium
4. Ginger – 1 small piece
5. Garlic – 4-5 pods
6. Bay Leaf – 1
7. Black cardamom – 1
8. Mace – 1
9. Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
10. Red Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
11. Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon
12. Kasuri Methi – ½ teaspoon
13. Mustard oil – 2 tablespoons
14. Water – 1.5 cups
15. Salt – to taste

UTENSILS/EQUIPMENT:

1. Kadhai/wok
2. Non – stick pan

RECIPE:

1. I get cut pieces of Jackfruit from the market. If you cut it at home, then apply oil to your hands before cutting it.
2. Wash the pieces thoroughly and dry them with a kitchen towel.
3. Take a non – stick pan and add the dried jackfruit pieces to it. Cook them on medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes until it starts getting brown.
4. Now add about a cup of water to it and a little salt and cover it with a lid. Cook it for 10-12 minutes or so until it gets soft.

5. In a kadhai/wok, add a little mustard oil and let it heat. Once hot, add bay leaf, crushed black cardamom, and a mace. Cook for a half a minute until aromatic.
6. Add in a teaspoon of cumin seeds.
7. After the cumin seeds start crackling, add one onion chopped in thin long slices. Cook them until they caramelize and turn brown.

8. Puree 4 tomatoes along with a few garlic pods and a small piece of ginge
9. Add red chilli powder and coriander powder too.
10. Cook the tomatoes well until you see oil separates from the masala.

11. Add the cooked jackfruit pieces into the kadhai and add ½-cup water. Keep on medium heat.

12. Cook the jackfruit pieces until about 90% of the water evaporates.
13. Add a little Kasoori Methi or dried fenugreek leaves on top.

Jackfruit/Kathal ki sabzi is ready! Serve hot with phulkas.