Enchor bhaja / Stir fried raw Jackfruit

Summer is blooming here.
Blooming .... yes. Because I have no other word for what is going on outside right now.
Mid morning temperature starts with 32 degrees and rises as much as it wishes to by late afternoon.  And then decides it loves the city so much that it refuses to down with the sun.
Clings on to the air, making it difficult to breathe even after night falls.
The floor and the walls of my balcony radiate the heat off. My plants stay still ... almost as if fearing to move lest the heat increases again.
I spray them with water liberally, only to feel the steam off the floor tiles and the wet earth.
On days when there is no breeze, I look out to see the dark profiles of the trees standing sombrely.
The rooster that I see of the few branches on the top of the Eucalyptus too does not move ... on other days I love to see the branches that form the neck and head move in the breeze ... as if nodding.
It is only when the restless bats shift branches that it moves ... sometimes the head moving away eerily and sometimes the plume of the tail.
Depresses me more .... just like the heat does these days.

 I have a thousand and one things going on at the same time in my life right now.
Some happy; some not as much.
And then there are a thousand and one recipes  .... okay, a little less maybe ... running in my head too.
To try, to post and share with you here.
But this heat ... nah .... will have to wait for some cooler days.
Meals have been mostly light ... you know if you are following me on Instagram. So I had nothing much to make a post on.
And then, my green grocer has been gone for a while now on vacation.
He is the only guy I rely on these days for fresh vegetables. So when he mentioned that he will be away for a while and I should buy some of that very fresh raw Jackfruit, I gave in.
He does make it easy for me, or else dealing with Enchor / raw jackfruit is painful and deters even the most expert housewife from handling it.

My tip on how to deal with a raw jackfruit is - get your grocer to peel it ... they have that big chopper and is easy for them .... and then make medium cuts from the sides till the center ... without cutting the center.
All I do is wash it well under running water and dump the whole thing into a pressure cooker with some salt and turmeric powder.
And cook it for two whistles on low heat.
And then, after cooling it, I cut it into blocks and store it in the freezer ... ready to take out and cook whenever I want to.
Simple!!!
No oiling of hands, no sticky gum clinging to fingers, no messy jobs of papers and tissues and everything sticking together, etc. etc.

Try it ... and do remember to come back here and thank me. 😄😄

Now, to the recipe.
If you know me, if  you have tried my recipes, you will know by now how I am obsessed with simplifying recipes and cooking light.
So while the whole world has gone overboard with trying to cook the kathal / enchor / raw jackfruit with loads of masalas ... in keeping up with the idea of it being a vegetarian substitute to non vegetarian food .... I phoo the idea away and go ahead and cook it real light and flavourful. If you have not tried this recipe yet, you are surely missing something good this summer.
And then, today I made this light bhaja or stir fry.
I was so amazed and at the same time so happy the way it came out that forgetting hunger and mealtime, I clicked a few photos to share it here pronto.
You really do not have to do much here.
All you need is some pre boiled enchor and some onions and green chillies.
And some dry masalas.
That's all.

Need :

Raw jackfruit / Kathal / Enchor - boiled with salt and cut into medium pieces
Onions - chopped into big sizes
Garlic - chopped ( optional )
Green chilles - chopped
Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Cooking oil ( I use mustard oil )
Lemon juice

How to :

In a heavy kadahi/ wok , heat the oil on low heat till smoking hot.

Add the jackfruit and toss on high heat for a minute ... searing it well.

Now add the onions + garlic + green chillies and keep tossing.

Add the turmeric + red chilli powder + salt + sugar.

Keep tossing till everything comes together.

Add a good dose of lemon juice and toss a little more.

Remove from heat and serve hot.

Since we were having it with rice and dal, I did not add any other masala and kept it simple like a bhaja should be.
If you are planning to eat it with rotis or parathas, then you may add garam masala as well as tomatoes too, to bring up the moisture quotient.

Enjoy!!
And a happy weekend all!!

Enchor er tarkari / Kathal ki sabzi

A few days back, I had asked my followers on facebook as to what kind of recipes would they like in the next few posts on the blog.
Most of them replied that some light, vegetarian food for summer would be good.
Now, I believe most of my recipes are way too light already. And hence perfect for summer.
All my recipes for fish as well as chicken ( which I do not post very regularly but do make for dinner on most week days ) are really simple with minimum of ingredients or masalas.
As are the vegetarian ones ... which I believe are even more lighter.

Still, that set me thinking.
Of late, I have been posting less vegetarian dishes.
Why?
I don't know. As simple as that.
So when I saw these pictures of the Jackfruit / Kathal ki sabzi in my folders, waiting for god knows how long to see the light of the day, I decided to make a post on it pronto.
And promptly got stuck when it came to writing the recipe.

I hunted amongst all my folders but could not find the recipe.
I was sure I had written it somewhere. But still could not find it.
Checked my scribble pad in the kitchen. Nope. No recipe.
The reason I was hunting for the recipe is that I hardly follow any measurements or one single recipe when I am cooking something.
Every time I use different things, with different measurements.
I cannot call them measurements too ... I just eyeball everything and throw in a pinch of this and a spoonful of that.
Yes, that is the way I cook. Most of the time.
Which makes it absolutely necessary to write down a recipe the same time I am making it.
Else, within a day I forget it.
And when I eventually sit down to make a post, I am completely lost.
Just like today.

I actually have some ingredients written down for a masala and marked it as "for god knows what!".
Get the picture?

I could not remember if I had used onions or garlic.
Or tomatoes.
Or what masalas.
Feeling lost, I gave up. And went to make myself a cup of tea.
Evening was setting in and the sky had turned into a riot of colours. After a whole day of dark clouds hovering and a slightly muggy weather, the sun had burst through with a wonderfully, surreal golden light that slowly turned a purplish pink before letting the dark grey take over.
And there was a beautifully cool breeze too.

I sat with my cup in my hands and wondered about the recipe. Where was it?
And then it struck me!
It was right there, in front of me, all the while.
And I could not recognise it!

The thing is, I often write down a lot of reminders and other things on the white tiles on my kitchen wall.
And the recipe was right there! In front of me!
But in jumbled words, small pieces and broken sentences.
Slanted lines going all the way up on my right. Breaking at the joints of the tiles.
Up and down and towards the corner.
But nowhere was it written what the recipe was for.

Finally, it was one hurried line that saved me. "Remember to apply plenty of oil in yours hands before cutting it".
Only,  there was no mention of what 'it' was!
Sigh! 

So here goes the recipe.
Light, summery. Perfect for lunch or dinner.

Need :

Kathal / Enchor /  Raw Jackfruit - 2 cups full, cut into medium sized cubes and soaked in salt water
(Remember to apply plenty of vegetable oil in your hands before cutting the Jackfruit )

Potato - 1 medium sized, cut into cubes
Onion - 1 medium sized, sliced
Tomatoes - 2 big sized, grated or pureed 

Bay leaf  - 1
Whole red chillies - 2, broken into two
Green cardamom - 1, split
Jeera / Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
Dhania / Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Haldi / Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Mirchi / Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1 tsp or to taste
Water

How to :

Cook the cut kathal pieces with some salt and water in a pressure cooker .... 2 whistles on low heat will do the job.

Remove from heat and open cooker once it has completely cooled down.
Drain the kathal pieces and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadahi / wok.

Add the bay leaf, green cardamom and the whole red chillies.
Add the onion slices quickly and fry till they turn pink.

Add the potatoes and fry covered till they are half cooked.  

Add the tomato and keep frying on high heat. 

Now add the masala powders and salt, stirring all the while.
Add some water if needed.
It should not turn dry ... the dry masalas will burn otherwise.

Now add the kathal pieces and fry for a while.

Add enough water to cover the pieces.
Add salt and sugar.
Cover and let it cook till the potatoes are well done and the kathal / enchor has soaked up all the masalas well.

Do check for water in between Add some if necessary.

After the gravy has reached desired consistency, sprinkle the ghee and the garam masala powder and cover.

Let it simmer for around five minutes.

Remove from heat.

Serve hot.
Goes great with rotis, parathas or dal and rice.

Enjoy!!


Do check out my Instant Kathal Biryani made with left over kathal curry.

Instant Kathal Biryani (Raw Jackfruit Biryani) ... and a few thoughts

( If you are unable to get raw jackfruit, this can be made with a lot of other things like leftover cauliflower / potatoes/ paneer/ chicken / mutton curries too. )

Updated : I have never had absolutely any problems with any 'COMMENTS on my blog(s) ... as many of you have assumed in a hurry to leave nice lines for me. I guess you just skimmed the first few lines ... which too are not on what is being assumed.. I clarify here that my post is on something very different ... and I did not 'experience' or 'go thru' anything traumatic to shake me off the face of earth.
Please either read the whole post before writing anything ... or just jump to the recipe. :-)

Ever since I visited a few food blogs that are a little over around 2- 3 years old, I have been thinking. I am so touched by the courteousness and light humour in them as well as the comments they have got. Such graceful ladies ... and such friendliness. In one blog, when one commentator mentioned that she too was about to post a similar recipe, the blog owner actually expressed regret at not knowing ... else she would have waited. Such character and endearing quality!

And so much different from what we are getting these days ... foul words and expletives peppered dangerously all around. I wonder what force compels. Is it insecurity ... or this desire to be the centre of attention? I find it very juvenile .... but whatever it may be .... it defines a lack of depth and education.

Because nobody is taught to use foul language. So it is a self decided activity. I believe the true self of a person is displayed when life puts a test in front of him/her, out of the blue. It is how you tackle any given situation with how much quiet, grace, humour and dignity that shows what kind of a person you are. It may be total joy, sorrow, fear or a loss.

I do not think using foul words proves somebody to be more educated or gutsy than others ... and neither does it prove the person's hold on vocabulary ... rather I believe it proves the lack of it.
Our blogs are our own places ... and I akin my blog to my home. Just as I would keep my home clean and pure for myself and my visitors, so would I want to keep my blog pages clean and wholesome for my visitors and friends here. Who would want to visit a place or spend a while there if it is known to store rotten garbage with enthusiasm ?
Who would want to appreciate my home or my page if it is full of filth ... words or otherwise ?

More the reason if it is a food blog. We associate food with God. The food we cook and serve is offered as prasad to the gods too ... not to mention that it nourishes us on the whole. Who would want to have a look at any food .... no matter how beautifully presented .... leave alone eat it ... if they knew that the house owner places garbage in the same plate?

Then how can someone use horrid dirty words and then smile and display a recipe at the same go?!
Beats me. All I know is we are what our thoughts make us ... mind, body and soul.

My recipe today is again a quick dish that I often make ... usually with whatever leftover curry and rice I have. The magic in this dish is the flavour biryani masala and the onion fried in ghee. Of course, it helps if the curry you are using is slightly spicy with lots of masala.

I had made a spicy curry with the raw Kathal / Jackfruit .... that had lots of onion & ginger & garlic paste and garam masala.

Need : Leftover Kathal curry ( or any spicy curry of say cauliflower / potatoes/ paneer/ chicken / mutton), cooked white rice ( better if it has stayed in the fridge for at least a night ) ,
a lot of sliced onion, ghee / clarified butter, bay leaves, dry whole red chillies, whole spices ( green cardamom, cinamom, cloves ), Biryani Masala Powder ( I use Everest Biryani Masala ), a few fresh mint leaves.

How to : Heat ghee in a heavy kadhai / wok. Add the whole spices, the bay leaves, the chillies and then the onions. Fry on low heat till the onions slowly turn brown.
( Do not try to add sugar to hasten the process .... the onions will not cook from the inside and will burn from the outside).
Remove the onions to a plate.
Arrange a layer of rice in the same kadhai ... or you can take another flat bottomed pan. Then arrange a layer of the leftover curry. Sprinkle a pinch of Biryani masala powder on it and then spread a few fried onions on it. And some mint leaves. Cover with another layer of rice.

You can make multiple layers if you have enough rice and curry. Spread the final batch of the onions on top. Drizzle some ghee generously. Cover tightly and let it sit on low heat for around 15 mins.
Remove and serve hot with curd or raita.

And oh yeah ... I finally got to finish this top { updated : for myself :-) } I'd started a coupla months back. :-)



I'll try to be a little more regular than the past week ... till then take care all ... and hugs to all of you who enquired after me about my well being. Am just fine. Much thanks! :-)

Enjoy !!