Sri Lankan jackfruit curry
Did you know that jackfruit is the national fruit of Sri Lanka? It seemed only fitting to use it in this curry! Filled with warming spices such as fenugreek, curry leaves, mustard seeds and cinnamon, this Sri Lankan jackfruit curry is warming and the coconut milk and lime really help to freshen it and provide those South Asian flavours we all love.
In all honesty, I’ve never been a fan of jackfruit. It’s always tasted really tangy and brine-y whenever I’ve had it before, but with wanting to try and create a Sri Lankan style dish and it being the nations fruit of the country, I wanted to do some experimenting.
Happily, I can now say I’m a jackfruit convert because this curry is so delicious and flavourful. If you’re in the UK, use the summer pride jackfruit in water - it’s the best I’ve found!
Serves 2 portions:
500ml coconut milk
8 curry leaves
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp fenugreek (whole or powdered)
1tsp turmeric
4 cardamom pods
1 piece cinnamon bark
1tsp curry powder
1 lime
Red chilli (use as much as you like depending on your heat preference)
5 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 white onion finely chopped
1 can jackfruit in water
3tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Method:
* Heat 1tbsp oil in a large pan and add in the fenugreek, turmeric and curry powder. Cook for a couple of minutes to allow the spices to bloom in the oil.
* Add in the onion, garlic and chilli and cook down until soft and a paste begins to form. Add a splash of water to create this paste.
* Drain and thoroughly wash the jackfruit under running water. Add to the pot and cook for a few minutes to allow the spice paste to start to stick to the pan and char slightly.
* Add the coconut milk, season with salt, stir well and leave to simmer on a low heat for around 15-20 minutes.
* In a separate pan, heat the remaining oil and once hot, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, a little more sliced chilli, the cardamom pods and the cinnamon bark and heat until fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop.
* Add the flavoured/tempered oil into the curry and add the juice of 1 lime. Enjoy!