Punjabi Kathal ki Sabzi | North Indian Dry Unripe Jackfruit Curry

Kathal, also known as Jackfruit is one of my favorite vegetables that can be found in Indian markets around July-August for a short period. The fibrous fruit with its shredded meaty texture makes for an apt substitute for non-vegetarians and you would be surprised to know kathal is often used for mock meat dishes in South East Asian countries.

While this beautiful vegetable/fruit is quite delicious, there is only one negative factor to it; it's hard skin and an itchy sticky liquid that oozes out of it that makes cutting jackfruit a messy and difficult task. However, having said so, I'll share a foolproof trick to ease out the cutting process; just grease your hands and knife with generous quantity of mustard oil while skinning and cutting this fruit. Applying mustard oil will ensure you don't face any itchiness, thus, making the whole process a piece of cake.

These days, already skinned and chopped jackfruit pieces are also available in the vegetable markets. If you wish to totally avoid the chopping process, feel free to lay your hands at them. Having said so, I would also like to inform you to cook them the very day you buy them as leaving them uncooked for few days might spoil the pieces making them turn bitter in taste.

Let's get started with the recipe now ....

Punjabi Kathal ki Sabzi

Ingredients

• Kathal - 500 grams
• Onions (big size, finely sliced) - 2
• Tomatoes (medium sized, finely chopped) - 2
• Green chilies, roughly chopped - 2 to 3
• Garlic cloves, muddled - 5 to 6
• Salt - as per taste
• Red chili powder - 1 to 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Amchoor - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard oil - 3 tbsp + for deep frying 

Punjabi Kathal ki Sabzi

Other Punjabi Recipes You May Like...

• Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda
• Arbi Palak Masala
• Malai Kofta
• Butter Chicken
• Amritsari Chholey
• Amritsari Aloo Kulcha

Method

• Grease you hands and knife with generous quantity of mustard oil.
• Skin the jackfruit and chop the fibrous flesh it into small pieces.
• Heat some mustard oil in a kadhai. Let the oil come to smoking point.
• Lower the heat and fry the kathal pieces on medium heat until they turn light golden in color.
• Dish out on tissue paper to get rid of excess oil.
• Next, in a pan, heat about 3 tbsp of oil. Once it is hot, add pounded cloves of garlic and sliced onions.
• Let them saute on medium-high until they turn golden brown. Add in chopped green chilies and saute for a minute.
• Season with salt, turmeric powder, dhaniya powder, red chili powder, and amchoor.
• Next add the chopped tomatoes, cover and simmer until oil starts separating.
• Now add the fried jackfruit pieces. Stir nicely and again cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally in between.
• Add the garam masala and garnish with some fresh coriander leaves. 
• Serve hot with some chapati or parantha on the side.

Punjabi Kathal ki Sabzi