Raw Jack fruit dum biryani | Kat-hal dum biryani | Veg biryani using jack fruit| How to cook jack fruit biryani | Party special | biryani recipe|Jack fruit cooked with biryani-spices and layered with basmati rice

Jack fruit in English /kathal in Hindi /panasa pandu in Telugu is a tropical fruit.Jack fruit is widely used in south asian cuisines .It is used both in preparing sweets and savoury dishes .Ripe jack fruit is often savoured as a fruit itself ...though extracting the arils from the big huge fruit in itself is a tricky part which requires a lot of expertise. 

The flesh of the jackfruit is starchy and fibrous and is a source of dietary fibre. The flavor is comparable to a combination of apple, pineapple, mango, and banana.Ripe jackfruit is naturally sweet with subtle flavouring.The seeds from ripe fruits are edible, are said to have a milky, sweet taste, and may be boiled, baked, or roasted.

 When roasted, the flavor of the seeds is comparable to chestnuts. Seeds are used as snacks either by boiling or fire roasting, or to make desserts. For making the traditional breakfast dish in southern India: idlis, the fruit is used with rice as an ingredient and jackfruit leaves are used as a wrapping for steaming. Jack fruit dosas can be prepared by grinding jackfruit flesh along with the batter.

In southern India, unripe jack fruit slices are deep fried to make chips. In Udipi cuisine, jackfruit is used make appa and addae.Because unripe jack fruit has a meat-like taste, it is used in curry dishes with spices. 

The skin of unripe jack fruit must be peeled first, then the remaining whole jack fruit can be chopped into edible portions and cooked before serving. Young jack fruit has a mild flavor and distinctive meat-like texture and is compared to poultry. Meatless sandwiches have been suggested and are popular with both vegetarian and non vegetarian populations.(Source:wikipedia)

As a kid I have always been a fan of ripe jack fruit.I still remember that after finishing off the fruit we use to place the seeds in the the charcoal stoves (mitti ka chulha) to get them dry roasted .But coming to raw jack fruit I have never tasted in  my life.Every year in the master chef India the contestants use jack fruit to present a novelty .I had seen in  a lot of travel and living programs the use of jack fruit as a replacement for meat  .So what next.....?.you are guessing it right.

As soon as I saw jack fruit picked it up and rolled  up my sleeves for an adventure.Adventure!!!!  yes trying your hands on a completely new ingredient with out knowledge of any basics of it , is no more than an adventure .As I picked it from the aisle of the supermarket ,hubby was giving me a weird look?   

In vain!!his looks couldn't stop me....At last unable to control his curiosity he asked "Do you know what is it ? how to cut it ? I just nodded my head with a smile and continued .... 

My family loves biryani .....so why not serve a new vegetable in the form of biryani.  How did you like the idea? super!! .....  .To my surprise no body could figure it out that it was jack fruit in the biryani served.Before you get bored of my blabbering lets move on to the way I made it .........

INGREDIENTS

FOR MARINATION:

• 200 gms / 1 3/4 cup jack fruit (pieces)
• 90 gms yogurt
• 2 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste (gg)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric ( haldi)
• 1 tsp garam masala 
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 1/2 tsp salt

FOR BIRYANI :

• 4 cups/550 gms  basmati rice
• 100 ml /5/8 cup oil
• 3 onions
•  2 inch cinnamon stick
• 4 cardamom
• 4 cloves
• 1 badi elaichi(black cardamom)
• 1 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• coriander a hand full
• mint a hand full
• 4 green chillies
• orange colour a few drops(optional)
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 10 - 12 cahews for garnish (optional)

PROCEDURE:

• Grease your hands , a sharp serrated knife and chopping board with oil. 

• Cut both the ends of the jack fruit  and peel the skin like a pine apple .

•  Remove the seeds if any ,Chop the flesh into desired cubes.

• Boil water in a sauce pan  ,add the pieces with some salt and boil for 10 - 15 mints .

• When the pieces are soft enough when pressed with hand ,drain the water and allow them to cool.

• Mean while chop the onions and deep fry them to golden brown in the above given oil .

• Remove them on tissue paper and set aside.

• Once the pieces of jack fruit  have cooled marinate them with the spices mentioned under MARINATION.

• Wash and soak rice for 1/2 an hour.

•  Boil water in a large sauce pan or patila ,add soaked rice to it along  with salt and  half the whole spices mentioned .

• Cook the rice until its done 70 % ,there should be a bite in it .Drain the rice .

• Take the same oil in which you have deep fried the onions in a big sauce pan.

•  Switch on the flame and  add the Whole spices ,marinated jack fruit ,mint ,coriander and spread it equally.

• Now add the rice and spread it ,add ghee ,sprinkle the orange colour .

• Cover the pan with aluminium foil and put in on low flame for 25 mints on dum.

• Serve hot with raita of your choice.   

TIPS:

• Jack fruit i used was a tender one.boil the jack fruit accordingly ...larger the fruit more time it takes.
• Since jack fruit has no water content unlike meat ,so 25 mints on dum was enough for me.  

Yummily ,





Linking this to ."Delectable Flavours Give away Event".