Meaty temptation for vegans

Pushpesh Pant

Kathal ke Tikke

The good old jackfruit is a loyal ally of the vegetarians who can’t resist the temptation of meat. It is the backbone of arguably the best shakahari biryani/pulav and, to our mind, beats by more than a length any other veg shaami. Both these delicacies require patience and more than basic cooking skills to pull them off. However, we have, at last, stumbled upon a kathal delicacy that is virtually idiot proof and can be customised to taste. And, if you can’t do without a korma, the tikka can be presented in a rich and aromatic gravy as well.

There was a time when people avoided making jackfruit as it was tasty, but tedious and tiring to cut, clean and cook. This is no more the case. Most vendors these days sell bite-sized pieces of jackfruit.

Ingredients:

400 g jackfruit cut in cubes

½ cup oil

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

½ tsp black pepper powder

¼ tsp clove powder

¼ tsp cinnamon powder

¼ tsp cardamom powder

1 cup thick curd

Salt to taste

Method

Prepare a marinade by mixing all the powdered spices and salt except the aromatic, clove, cardamom and cinnamon. Place this marinade in a bowl and put in the kathal cubes. Ensure that the pieces are evenly coated. Keep aside for 30 minutes or a little more.

Heat oil to smoking point in a non-stick pan and reduce the heat to low-medium. Add to it the marinated kathal, but not the marinade. Stir-fry briskly till it is richly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain the excess oil on kitchen towels. Sprinkle aromatic powdered spices over it and serve with onion rings and lemon wedges.

Some people like to boil the jackfruit pieces, but we think that changes the texture and cramps the mimicry of meat!