Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry
Young jackfruit, potato and chickpeas simmered in coconut milk with dark roasted curry powder, curry leaves, cinnamon and tamarind.
makes 21 blocks, about 33p each
- Time
- 1 hr15 min prep · 45 min cook
- Makes
- 21 blocks
- Cost per blockPer block
- 33p
- Calories per blockCalories
- 87 kcal
- Spice
Ingredients
- 2 tins (460g drained)young green jackfruit in brine, rinsed
- 1 tin (240g drained)chickpeas, rinsed
- 300gpotato, 2cm dice
- 1 (150g)onion, sliced
- 4 cloves (20g)garlic, crushed
- 20gfresh ginger, grated
- 15g (2 tbsp)roasted Sri Lankan curry powder
- 2g (1 tsp)chilli powder
- 2g (1 tsp)turmeric
- 1 stickcinnamon
- 20 leavescurry leaves
- 15g (1 tbsp)tamarind paste
- 5g (1 tsp)sugar
- 1 × 400ml tincoconut milk
- 1 cubevegetable stock cube
- 250mlwater
- 30mlrapeseed oil
Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Nutrition
estimated| 1 block | 3 blocks | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 87 kcal | 261 kcal |
| Protein | 2g | 6g |
| Carbs | 8.6g | 25.8g |
| Fat | 5.2g | 15.6g |
| Fibre | 1.9g | 5.7g |
| Salt | 0.3g | 0.9g |
Method
- Step 1: Cut the hard core from each piece of jackfruit and cut the rest into bite-size chunks.
- Step 2: Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the cinnamon and curry leaves for 30 seconds until they crackle, then add the onion and cook for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
- Step 3: Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, chilli powder and turmeric and stir for 1 minute.
- Step 4: Add the jackfruit, potato, tamarind, sugar, stock cube, water and half the coconut milk. Cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes until the jackfruit is very tender and the potato is cooked.
- Step 5: Add the chickpeas and the rest of the coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes until thick. Remove the cinnamon stick and season with salt.
- Step 6: Cool and freeze in 70g blocks.
Hotter: add 2 slit green chillies with the jackfruit, or another ½ tsp chilli powder.
Serve it
Basmati or red rice with a coconut sambol · Roti or warm flatbread · With a quick cucumber and red onion salad
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per block | 87 | 2g | 8.6g | 5.2g | 1.9g | 0.3g |
| Per 3 blocks | 261 | 6g | 25.8g | 15.6g | 5.7g | 0.9g |
Cook’s notes
- Roasted Sri Lankan curry powder is darker and toastier than Indian blends. Asian grocers and large supermarkets sell it; a medium curry powder dry-toasted in a pan for 2 minutes until a shade darker is a fair stand-in.
- A 400g tin of jackfruit gives about 230g once drained. Asian grocers often sell larger tins for less.
Serve it
Basmati or red rice with a coconut sambol · Roti or warm flatbread · With a quick cucumber and red onion salad.
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
- Reheat
- Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
- A portion
- 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 261 kcal and 6g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.
Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry questions
Why cut the jackfruit into chunks rather than shredding it?
Polos is usually served in soft chunks that keep a little bite. They fray at the edges as they simmer and soak up the sauce, while the core pieces you cut out would stay tough.
What can I use instead of curry leaves?
Dried curry leaves work, using twice as many. Without them, add 2 bay leaves and a strip of lime zest; it won't taste the same, but it keeps the fragrant note.
Can I leave out the chickpeas?
Yes. Add 150g more potato or a second tin of jackfruit instead, so the curry still has plenty of body.
Sauces that go with it
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates. Gluten-free assumes gluten-free stock cubes.