JACKFRUIT SPICED WITH BEEF CURRY

Chakka Puzhukku with Varutharacha beef curry

This is a typical traditional meal "Chakka Puzhukku" means jackfruit cooked in coconut & spices and "Varutharacha beef curry" means beef cooked with roasted coconut.

Jackfruits are huge fruit and when cut open its not possible to eat and finish in 1 day, unless you distribute to other. When cut open, the jackfruit reveals a series of fruit pockets that contain giant brown seeds and delicious fruity flesh.  Jackfruits turn brown and deteriorate quickly after ripening. Cold storage trials indicate that ripe fruits can be kept upto 3 to 4 weeks in the freezer.  If eating it raw, then it must be cooked. The raw firm jackfruit, I chop it into small biteable sizes and pack it in a zip lock bag and this can remain as fresh as ever in the fridge for upto 1 week for my next batch of cooking.  Still if have excess chopped jackfruit then I store it in the freezer that can be used upto 3 weeks or more.  This is how I avoid wastage of food.    

This is the picture taken 1 week after keeping it in fridge.  It has the same freshness and no discolouration. 

Jackfruit is grown naturally and organic, without any pesticides and chemical, hence at any time I would prefer jackfruit over any other vegetables.  During my childhood days I hated Jackfruit, neither ripe nor raw. But after knowing the nutritional fact and know how organic this fruit is, now it is one of my family favorite vegetable.

Nutrition fact on Jackfruit:

• Good source of vitamin C
• Full of B-complex vitamins
• Contains tons of fiber
• Known energy booster
• Jam-packed full of potassium, magnesium, and iron
• Etc.. etc… etc.   the benefits are countless.

Chakka puzhukku (Jackfruit spiced)

Ingredients:

• 1 kg unripe jackfruit, cut into small bitable sizes.
• 1 cup shallots thinly sliced
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 3 – 5 red dry chilies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 3 tbsp Coconut oil
• Water
• Salt as required

Ingredients to grind:

• 1 cup coconut, grated
• 5 to 6 cloves garlic
• 1 ½  tsp black pepper corns
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 green chilies
• Salt as required

Procedure:

In a thick deep bottomed vessel, mix raw jackfruit, turmeric powder, 1 sprig of curry leaves, salt and ½ water.  Close the lid and allow it to cook for approximate 10 – 12 minutes (timing may vary based on the type of jackfruit).  In between keep stirring and  to avoid sticking at the bottom of the vessel. 

In the meantime, coarse grind the ingredients and set it aside.  

Once the jackfruit is cooked, reduce the flame and add in the coarse grind mixture and mix thoroughly to amalgamate the spices with the jackfruit.  While mixing with the back of the spatula / spoon, gently mash the jackfruit as well.  Cover the lid and let it simmer on low flame for 5 minutes while stirring in between.  If the mixture is sticking at the bottom of the pan, add few drops of water.  

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a sauce pan and retain 1 tbsp oil to be used at the end.  Add in the mustard seeds, when it splutters add sliced shallots, garlic and fry until the shallots becomes translucent.  Add red chilly and curry leaves and stir well.   When the shallots turn golden brown, pour this flavoured oil mixture onto the cooked jackfruit and mix well. Finally pour in the 1 tbsp of raw coconut oil and close the lid to retain the flavours and coconut oil fragrance. Ready to be served with some gravy or just have an evening snack accompanied with hot tea.

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Varutharacha beef curry

Ingredients:

• 1 kg beef
• 1no coconut grated
• 3 cups of shallots sliced
• 1.5 cup tomato sliced
• 2 springs curry leaves 
• 2 inch ginger, crushed
• 6 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 5nos. green chilly
• 1no. cinamon-1small pcs
• 2 tbsp. pepper corns, crushed
• 2 nos. cardamom
• 1 tsp. fennel seed
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp. fenugreek powder
• 4 tbsp. chilly powder
• 4 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1 tbsp. Garam masala powder
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves 
• Oil – coconut oil
• Salt as required

For Tempering (tadka)

• 4 shallots
• 2 nos. red dry chilly
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 springs curry leaves
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil 

Procedure: 

I have used veal meat for this recipe.   Refer to Tips & Facts for Veal v/s. Beef

After washing the meat, apply little salt and leave it aside to drain off the water.

Heat a pan and add coconut, shallots, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, fennel seed, curry leaves and saute well until the coconut turns to brown in colour and gives out the nutty and spice fragrance.  Leave it aside to cool down and then grind to fine thick paste by adding water. 

I am using pressure cooker to fasten the cooking process.  Head 2 tbsb. of oil and add to it ginger, garlic, bay leaves and then add sliced onions, saute until the onion starts to turn brown.  Reduce the flame and add the dry spices; turmeric, chilly, coriander and fenugreek powders and little bit of salt.   Saute for a minute and then add in the sliced tomatoes. Saute until the tomatoes gets smashed.  Increase the flame and add in the meat, keep stirring to avoid the spices sticking at the bottom of the cooker.  Meat will start leaving out water.  Saute until 5 minutes.  Pop in the ground coconut past and mix well.  If you are looking for a gravy with thin consistency, add some more water.  Allow it to cook until you hear 5  to 6 whistles.  Let the cooker release the air and then open the lid, check for spices, salt and gravy thickness.  Add garam masala and chopped coriander leaves and let it simmer for 5 minutes some more time.  Add the remaining raw coconut oil and close the lid of the pressure for the fragrance of the oil and spices to retain.

Beef curry in Kerala style ready to be served with Chakka puzhukku or parotha, chapathi or steamed rice. 

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