Jackfruit is my favorite vegetable and fruit. The jackfruit is a gigantic, spined, oval fruit that have been first cultivated in Indian rainforests. It is mostly grown in tropical or close to tropical climates. It mostly found in many parts of India, as well as in most of Southeast Asia. In certain parts of India, huge jackfruit is sliced up and sold raw. It has such a unique texture and flavor, you will either love it or hate it.

The seeds can be boiled or roasted and taste like chestnuts. Jackfruit is, commonly available in most Asian markets. It is very straightforward with a good, not quite crispy surface, and the gentle taste of pineapple and a slightly characteristic musky in taste.

Huge and thorny on the outside, Jackfruit is the “porcupine” of the vegetable world. Once a jackfruit is cracked open, what you will find inside are pods or “bulb”. Regularly referred to as seeds, these bulbs are actually, kinds of fleshy covering over the true seeds or pits, which are round and dark like chesnuts. The fleshy part can be eaten, or cut up and cooked. When immature, it is amazingly similar in grain to chicken, making jackfruit is an excellent vegetarian substitute for meat. In fact, jackfruit is sometimes referred to as “vegetable meat”.

The interior of jackfruit is golden and creamy looking, with each pod or bulbs dotted with large black seeds. The pods or bulbs, which are actually coverings for the dark seeds, can be eaten fresh, roasted, or used as a cooking ingredient. Unripe or “green” jackfruit (unripe it is still beige, white, or golden) is often called “vegetable meat” for its chewy texture and mild flavor. Jackfruit seeds can be roasted or boiled, like chestnuts. Some people leave the seeds inside the bulbs and cook the two together.

Recipe starts with cutting raw jackfruit into 6-8 inch pieces along with skin, boiling them. Once cooled down, it is easy to cut the skin.

Boil cut jackfruit pieces

Cut and discard skin. Remove seeds. Cut the meat into 1 inch pieces. Keep them ready for next

Jackfruit, Quinoa Biryani

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Ujwala Chintala

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 Small - Fresh young unripe or green Jackfruit
• 1 big Onion
• 1 bunch - Spring Onion
• ½ cup - fresh Curd/Yogurt
• 5 - Green chillies
• ¼ tsp - Cumin
• Salt
• ½ tbsp - Chilli powder
• 2 sprigs - Mint leaves (Optional)
• 4 Sprigs - Fresh Cilantro
• 5 - Bay leaves
• ½ tsp - Fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp - fresh ghee
• For Masala powder
• ½ Nutmeg grated
• 1 tsp - Fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp - Coriander seeds
• 2 - Clove
• 2 medium - Cinnamon
• 2 Cups quinoa.
• 3 cups of water

Instructions

1. Jackfruit preparation
2. Cut jackfruit into quarters.
3. Boil water. Place cut jackfruit quarters in water. Cook for 10 mins or till soft.
4. Turn off stove. Remove jack fruit from water. Let them cool.
5. Meanwhile roast masala powder ingredients and grind them to powder.
6. Boil 3 cups of water and cook 2 cups of quinoa.
7. When done, add half of the masala you just prepared, all of bay leaves, ¾ tsp lime juice, salt, half of mint leaves
8. When jackfruit cools down, cut and discard skin. Remove and discard seeds.
9. You can use remaining meat. Cut meat into small (approx 1 inch) pieces.
10. In a pressure cooker or a thick bottomed pan, heat Ghee.
11. Add cumin, green chillies, onion cubes. Cook till light golden brown.
12. Now add jackfruit meat. Stir. Cook for 3 minutes.
13. Add salt, chill powder, remaining masala powder.
14. Close lid, cook for 3 minutes.
15. Place cooked quinoa on top of jackfruit.
16. If you are cooking in pressure cooker, close lid, place weight if your cooker has one. Keep stove on medium high for 10 mins. Then turn to medium for 5 mins. Then turn off.
17. If you are using thick bottomed pan, place an aluminum foil, then place lid tight on top. So that steam doesn’t escape. Keep stove on medium high for 10 mins, medium for 5 mins. Then turn off.
18. In another way, you can transfer cooked jackfruit into aluminum tray. Place rice on top. Close tray with aluminum foil. Place this tray in another tray. So that foil is tightly sealed and steam doesn’t escape. Heat oven to 350º F. Now place tray in oven for 30 mins.
19. When done, garnish with cilantro. Pour ghee on top.

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