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Nanka Jackfruit Curry

Name: Nanka Jackfruit Curry
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500 grams or 17 oz can green jackfruit (drained and rinsed); 1 cup jackfruit seeds (if available); 1/2 cup or 2 medium tomatoes (pureed); 1/4 cabbage (chopped into thin strips); 1 small layer of fennel bulb (chopped); 1 small piece of ginger (chopped); 1 lemongrass stem (crushed); 1 to 1 1/2 cups coconut milk; 2 bay leaves; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 1 teaspoon coconut oil; 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds; 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds; 2 dried red chilies (optional); 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin powder; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander powder; 1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds or sesame seeds; 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (or according to taste)

By Dada Shivananda

Nanka Jackfruit Curry is an easy, vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and nut-free Indian curry. This dish features simple spices that deliver an amazing flavor.

Known as 'Nanka' in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Singapore, the jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) from the Moraceae family is an enormous, edible, tree-borne tropical fruit believed to be indigenous to the Western Ghats of India. Tasting this fruit is a unique experience, especially if you have the opportunity to enjoy it in Southeast Asia (e.g., Myanmar, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam) or in South America (e.g., Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana).

A half-ripe, greenish-yellow jackfruit makes a great shredded meat substitute. Its chewy, threadlike texture is reminiscent of soft, fall-off-the-bone meat. In some cases, inexpensive Asian burger joints use Nanka as an extender for burgers and sausages, as it assimilates well with the flavors and offers a healthier alternative. If fresh jackfruit is unavailable, canned varieties can be found in many Asian shops worldwide.

How To Eat Jackfruit Seeds?

These nutty seeds can be boiled, roasted, or ground into flour. When boiled, they have a consistency and taste that compare favorably with potatoes, along with enhanced nutritional benefits. The food industry often uses jackfruit seed flour as a binding agent in specific recipes, and the seeds are popular in several Indian delicacies and desserts. Often these seeds are cooked for main meals and present study on health-promoting effects of jackfruit seeds with special emphasis on their applications in food technology. It also reveals the valorization of jackfruit seeds in various value-added products along with their effects on the different properties

The next time you're making an Indian curry, why not try this recipe? With its vibrant sauce bursting with flavor, fragrant spices, creamy coconut milk, and meat-like jackfruit texture, this dish is sure to delight all your senses.

This energy-rich jackfruit curry is not only flavorful but also beneficial for combating physical or mental fatigue, stress, and muscle weakness. It is especially popular among athletes and is known for its antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-helminthic properties, as highlighted in the International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science.