Idichakka Thoran – Unripe Jackfruit dry Curry

Jackfruit is a fleshy, starchy, fibrous fruit. This is commonly used in Indian Cuisine. ‘Idichakka’ means unripe jackfruit and ‘Thoran’ means fry. Both ripe jackfruit and unripe jackfruit are used for making delicious dishes. Ripe jackfruit can be eaten uncooked. Here in the U.S., fresh and frozen Jackfruit are available in most of the Asian or Global market.

From Wikipedia:

The young fruit is called Polos in Sri Lanka, and ‘Idichakka” in Kerala. It is a wonderful dish with spices to replace meat curries in Sri Lankan cuisine. The skin of unripe (young) jack fruit must be pared first and discarded and then the whole fruit can be chopped into edible portions and cooked to be eaten. The raw young fruit is not edible.[24] Young jackfruit has a mild flavour and distinctive texture. The cuisines of India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam use cooked young jackfruit.

Jackfruit is a part of Telugu culture as well. In Andhra, Jackfruit is a delicacy. It is called “Panasa pottu koora”, or finely chopped jackfruit curry. It is mixed with mustard and cooked, which is every telugu’s favorite.
Ingredients:

• Unripe jackfruit – 1
• Shredded coconut – 1/4 cup
• Green Chilies – 3
• Coconut oil – 1 tsp
• Olive oil (any oil) – 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Split black gram or urad dal – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – small bunch
• Dry red chilies – 2
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method of Preparation:

1. Apply oil in your knife and scrape the skin off the fruit.
2. Cut it into two halves and remove the middle portion of the fruit from both the halves which will be hard.
3. Cut the flesh part into big chunks and pressure cook them for a whistle along with quarter tsp of turmeric powder and half a tsp of salt.
4. If you do not have pressure cooker, microwave it till it becomes tender.
5. Now cool the chunks and pulse it in your mixer grinder or food processor.
6. Remember the chunks should not be overcooked because when you grind the chunks it should be like shredded cabbage (Refer picture).
7. Grind coconut and green chili to form a chutney or sauce.
8. Heat olive oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
9. Once they splutter, add lentils, dry red chili, curry leaves, ground jackfruit and the chutney.
10. Finally add some salt. Remember, we have already added some salt when we cooked the fruit.
11. Combine them well and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or till the spices blend together and form the right consistency.
12. Idichakka thoran is ready.