#quickandeasy — Public Fediverse posts

Jackfruit Seed Dal (Kathaler Bichir Dal)

Jackfruit seed dal is one of those recipes that says a lot about how Bengali kitchens have always worked – nothing goes to waste if you can help it. Long before ‘zero-waste cooking’ became a hashtag, this was just how things were done. The soft, ripe bulbs of the jackfruit got eaten fresh or made into something sweet, while unripe jackfruit was turned into a vegetable dish, the leaves were used as plates or for steaming and the smooth, glossy seeds, kathaler bichi, as they’re called, would be dried out, peeled, and cooked down into curries, dals, ghontos, whatever the day called for. This is really a rural Bengal dish at heart, tied to summer, when jackfruit trees would just be loaded with fruit, much more than any one family could eat fresh. So people dried the seeds in the sun and kept them around for weeks, sometimes months- a steady source of protein and starch sitting in storage long after the season had passed.

There’s a harder history here too. During the 1943 Bengal famine, and other lean years before and after, people leaned on whatever they could find close to home. Jackfruit seeds weren’t ever the famine food -nothing that specific -but they helped. They came from a tree in the backyard, cost nothing, and could be added to a pot of dal or rice to make a meal go further for a big family. And because dried seeds kept so well, they were there exactly when you needed them most.

The dal itself uses just a few ingredients-mustard oil, a few whole spices, some ginger -enough to let the seeds do the talking. You get this creamy, nutty quality once cooked that honestly needs very little dressing up @sarchakra 

PREP TIME: 20 mins 

COOK TIME: 25 mins 

SERVES: 6 

Ingredients

• Jackfruit seeds (about 20 whole jackfruit seeds, cleaned and prepared)
• Mustard oil 2 tbsp
• Dried red chili 1, broken
• Mustard seeds 1 tsp
• Whole cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Bay leaf 1
• Ginger paste 2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Water, as needed

Method

• Wash the jackfruit seeds thoroughly and dry them completely.
• Cut each seed in half and remove the thin white membrane covering the inside.
• Place the seeds in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover them. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
• Once cool enough to handle, lightly mash each seed with a potato masher and peel away the brown outer skin. Set the peeled seeds with the liquid aside.
• Heat the mustard oil in a pan until it reaches its smoking point, then lower the heat slightly.
• Add the broken dried red chili, mustard seeds, whole cumin seeds, and bay leaf. Let the spices splutter until fragrant.
• Add the cooked jackfruit seeds along with the cooking liquid (or enough water to achieve your preferred consistency). Bring the dal to a gentle boil.
• Stir in the ginger paste and salt. If the dal is too thick, add a little more water.
• Simmer for another 2 to 3 mins so the ginger loses its raw taste and the flavors meld together.
• Serve hot with steamed rice and a drizzle of mustard oil, if you like.

Notes

Once cooked, the seeds becomes creamy and buttery, somewhere between chestnuts and potatoes in texture.

Remember to peel the cooked seeds- it gives the dal a smoother texture.

Mustard oil adds the characteristic Bengali flavor, but you can substitute with neutral oil.

The dal will thicken as it sits, so loosen it with a splash of hot water before serving if needed.

Serve this with steamed rice, a squeeze of lime or a simple vegetable side.

If you love traditional Bengali cooking, try Kumro Saag Chhochori (Pumpkin Greens with Vegetables), Bori Diye Bandhakophi and Cholar Dal (Bengali Chana Dal)

If you try a recipe, please use the hashtag #sarchakra on INSTAGRAM for a chance to be featured!

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Kaach Kolar Kofta Curry

Kaach Kolar Kofta Curry is proof that Bengali vegetarian cooking can be every bit as rich and satisfying as its meat based counterparts. Growing up, I was convinced my mum could turn even the most unassuming ingredients into something deeply comforting and irresistibly delicious. Kaach kola, or raw banana, was one of them. As a child, I never imagined it could taste good. Much later, plantain chips and green banana snacks became trendy, but growing up in West Bengal, raw bananas belonged firmly in the home kitchen, transformed through patience, spice, and instinct rather than novelty. My mum had two magical recipes for plantains. The raw ones were reserved for kofta, while the ripe bananas became bora, sweet fritters offered first to the deity at home before making their way to our plates. Even the plantains themselves were different then, smaller and more delicate than the oversized varieties found here today.

The koftas were made from boiled raw banana and potatoes, mashed together with cashews and flour for richness and binding. Into that mixture went everything that defines an Indian kitchen to me- coriander, cumin, Bengali garam masala, turmeric, red chili powder, salt, a pinch of sugar, plenty of grated ginger, finely chopped onions, and generous amounts of green chilies. Some days she used garlic instead of ginger. Other times she bound the mixture with beaten egg. There was never rigid measuring, only intuition passed from hand to hand. Rolling the mixture into balls and frying them until golden was only half the story. The real soul of the dish was the curry itself, a light, quintessentially Bengali gravy carrying the same warm spices as the kofta. Thin, fragrant, and deeply satisfying, it soaked beautifully into hot rice, turning the simplest meal into something memorable. For this recipe, I still use the regular-sized ones from the Indian grocery store because they taste closest to memory. This is a recipe I rarely make for guests. For me, it belongs to quieter moments, to nostalgia and memory. It is one of those deeply personal dishes that carries the feeling of home, family, and another time in life with every bite @sarchakra

PREP TIME: 40 mins

COOK TIME: 35 mins

SERVES: 8

Ingredients

For the Koftas

• Raw bananas (green bananas) 4, medium 
• Potatoes 2, medium 
• Cashews ⅓ cup 
• Onion 1 small, very finely chopped
• Green chilies 3-4, finely chopped
• Ginger 1 tbsp, grated 
• Coriander powder 1 tbsp 
• Cumin powder 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp 
• Red chili powder 2 tsp
• Bengali garam masala 1 tsp 
• Salt to taste
• Sugar 1 tsp 
• Flour 3 tbsp, as needed for binding
• Oil for frying

For the Curry

• Oil 4 tbsp 
• Onion 1, medium, finely chopped
• Ginger 1 tbsp, grated
• Green chilies 2, slit
• Coriander powder 2 tsp 
• Cumin powder 1 tsp 
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp 
• Red chili powder 2 tsp 
• Bengali garam masala 1 tsp 
• Salt to taste
• Sugar 1 tsp 
• Warm water 3 cups 
• Raisins 2 tbsp
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method

For the Koftas

• Trim the ends of the raw bananas and cut them into large pieces with the skin on. Boil them along with the potatoes until fork tender. Drain well and allow them to cool slightly.
• Peel the bananas and potatoes while still warm. Mash them together until mostly smooth with a little texture remaining.
• Lightly crush or pulse the cashews into a coarse powder. Add them to the mashed banana and potato mixture.
• Mix in the chopped onions, green chilies, grated ginger, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, red chili powder, Bengali garam masala, salt, sugar, and flour.The mixture should hold together easily when rolled. If it feels too soft, add another spoonful of flour.
• Grease your palms lightly with oil and form the mixture into medium-sized balls.
• Heat oil in a kadai or deep pan over medium heat. Fry the koftas in batches until deeply golden brown and crisp on the outside. Do not overcrowd the pan, and turn them gently so they brown evenly.
• Remove and drain on paper towels.

For the Curry

• Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onions. Cook slowly over medium heat until soft and lightly golden.
• Add the grated ginger and slit green chilies. Sauté for another minute until fragrant.
• Add coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and sugar. Sprinkle in a little water and cook the spices until the oil begins to separate and the masala smells rich and toasted. Add the raisins.
• Pour in the warm water and bring the curry to a gentle simmer for 8 to 10 mins. The curry should remain relatively light and thin rather than thick and heavy.
• Finish with Bengali garam masala.
• Place the fried koftas into a serving bowl and pour the hot curry over them just before serving so they retain some texture.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve immediately with hot rice. The koftas slowly absorb the curry as they sit, becoming softer, richer, and even more comforting the longer they rest.

Notes 

The koftas can easily be prepared ahead of time and frozen, which makes this dish especially convenient for busy days or gatherings. Once fried and cooled completely, store them in an airtight container and freeze. Before serving, allow them to defrost and warm them gently in the oven, air fryer, or a lightly greased pan until heated through. Add them to the curry just before serving so they retain their texture and do not become overly soft.

If you cannot find green bananas, green plantains make an excellent substitute and provide a similar texture and flavor.

Rice flour or cornstarch or gram flour can be used in place of flour to help bind the koftas.

Raisins add a touch of sweetness, but dried cranberries or finely chopped dates work beautifully as well.

For the gravy, canned tomatoes can replace fresh ones, and cashew paste may be substituted with almond paste or even sunflower seed paste for a nut-free variation. While every substitution creates subtle differences, the essence of the dish remains wonderfully intact.

For a slightly sweeter flavor, you can use sweet potato. Skip the sugar in the curry.

Use a neutral oil for a vegan version.

I have another version of this dish Kaach Kolar Kofta Curry (Green Banana Kofta Curry) published a few years ago.

If you try a recipe, please use the hashtag #sarchakra on INSTAGRAM for a chance to be featured!

FOLLOW SARCHAKRA ON FACEBOOK| INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TWITTER I TIKTOK FOR ALL OF THE LATEST CONTENT, RECIPES AND UPDATES.

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