The Jackfruit is a big fruit with a rough, spiky and thick outer skin, and it's hard to believe, that it comes from the fig and mulberry family. Often too heavy to carry, it is oval, oblong or round in shape. Inside its hard shell, there’s a thick, fibrous, cream-coloured core surrounded by lots of fruit pods. These pods are the part that’s eaten. They’re pale yellow-green when unripe, becoming bright yellow to orange when mature. Each pod has a seed inside that’s edible when cooked.
Jackfruit has a strong and lasting aroma, that takes getting used to, a bit like ripe tropical fruits combined with onions and summer flowers. The unripe fruit has a subtle taste which, when ripe, becomes very distinctive.
The Bengali language refers to jackfruit as ‘gach patha’ – literally meaning ‘tree goat’ or more broadly, ‘mutton of the trees’. The jackfruit has been used as a meat substitute in South Asia and Southeast Asia for centuries, especially for feeding large crowds during religious festivals or whenever meat was too expensive.
It is getting popular again with vegans and vegetarians as a meat substitute. Jackfruit contains dietary fibre, vitamins A and C, several minerals including potassium and is low in calories. It’s believed to help control blood sugar and the seeds are high in protein.
The unripe or young jackfruit is used often as a meat substitute in cooking. It usually takes in the flavors of the spices and seasonings used, hence it is used in many dishes as well as in burgers and tacos. Pulled jackfruit (like pulled pork) is also a common dish being served in many eateries these days.
The ripe pods with its strong and distinct flavor and the sweetness are eaten fresh, and they are also used in a variety of desserts such as Gharayi, ice creams, puddings, cakes, etc.
Gharayi is a traditional Konkani /GSB dessert, usually is prepared with jack fruit and coconut milk and sweetened with jaggery. It is almost always prepared as an accompanying sweet dis/dessert for festival feasts. I have beautiful memories of "Devasthana jewan//bhojan (Temple meals) with gharayi as the dessert. Do try it and enjoy this flavorful sweet dish/dessert from the Konkan coast where coconuts and jackfruits are available in plenty.
Jackfruit Gharayi
Recipe
Ingredients:
• 1 heaping Jackfruit pods, separate the seeds and chop and keep aside.
• 3/4 cup Jaggery (if the pods are very sweet, you can certainly reduce the jaggery)
• 1 can Coconut milk ( I use the Chaokoh brand)
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• very little water
• 1 tbsp ghee
• Cashew pieces and Raisins sauteed in little ghee for garnishing (optional)
Steps:
• Mix rice flour or rice rawa with 1/4 of the canned coconut milk and some water (I usually use some water to rinse out the can and use that) and keep aside.
• Melt the jaggery in the remaining coconut milk. Add in the reserved rice flour mixture and stir and cook the mixture well, making sure there are no lumps. Cook till it gets thick.
• Fry the "jackfruit pieces in ghee for about 5 minutes and add it to the coconut milk mixture and keep cooking. Bring it to a boil, stirring well, it so it does not stick to the pan.
• Sprinkle the cardamom powder, garnish with cashew pieces and raisins sautéed /fried in ghee (optional) and serve hot.
Notes:
• Instead of the rice flour, you can add rice rawa to the coconut milk while making the gharayi. Remember that adding rice rawa will give a grainy texture to the Gharayi.
• You can also add wheat rawa or fine sooji, instead of rice flour, but remember that you have to roast it in ghee before adding to the coconut milk. This gives a different flavor and also a grainy texture to the gharayi.
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