Mitta Ghallele Salla Upkari/ Brined Tender Raw Jackfruit Bhaji.

Mitta Ghallele Salla Upkari/ Brined Tender Raw Jackfruit Bhaji .... Brined Veggies have always come to our rescue when in need and that is the sole purpose why our ancestors started the trend of brining/ pickling in salt water ... olden days the reason was, they could not venture out during monsoon for lack of transport or weather conditions, today's reason other crisis, like at times no veggies or strikes etc. ... whatever be the reason, we are really lucky that they passed on these traditions to us and many of us have gladly followed them ... a delicious simple upkari/ stir fry served as side dish along with other dishes ...  Yummilicious ......

** Tender raw jackfruit is brined/ pickled in salt water during summer month and stored over the year to be used during the month of monsoon or otherwise in case of inability to venture out. Our ancestors had lots of difficulties unlike present days and needed to manage the home while keeping the family well fed and healthy. The women of those days were far much more intelligent than us for sure coz. it is they who learnt these things by themselves by trial and error having nothing to refer to and came up with solutions for those days when they could not go out due to either weather conditions or lack of proper transport facility. They have taught us the technique of storing food for over a year which enables us to feed family when in crisis and we should be thankful to them for the same. They even passed on the techniques of sun dried items that could be later used either by soaking method or by deep frying them or even roasting them on fire.

** Aren't we blessed to have so much at hand and yet we resort to picking up those packets of food displayed on the shelves of the stores with God knows what sort of preservatives. If you need fryums, why buy them out, store Vodi during summer, if you cannot prepare them, they are easily available in southern stores, just give them another sun dry of 2 days and store them in air tight containers, they last over a year. You can just fry them over weekend when free and store them for use all over the week, isn't that great. Keep browsing my Blog, I will share these often, as and when I prepare. I must confess here that I store for the year buying from South Indian Stores as in Mumbai, I do not have the facility of proper sun light which is must for sun dried items. As for the brining, you need to get them and I have done so with amla, raw mangoes etc. Today I have used store bought raw jackfruit brines for preparation of this upkari/ bhaji, I will write in short how they do it below.

** For Brining/ Pickling in Salt Water : The jackfruit is first selected that it is raw, yet the inner segments have been developed, this needs experience. It is then cut into half width wise and then lengthwise into segments. The outer spiked skin is removed and discarded, while the inner most seed is removed but retained. These seeds called as bikkand can be sun dried and stored for sometime. However I wash them well, dry them for a few days and then put them in deep freezer covered in a thick polythene and they remain good for over a year to be used into curries. The fleshy portion of the raw jackfruit is then removed which is embedded between some flesh strips which has to be also removed and discarded as they are not edible. Then the jackfruit pieces are cleared of any excess strips of pith that stuck to the tender jackfruit, and then brined in salt water. You can start using them within a month’s time. I have enclosed a picture of the brined raw jackfruit for reference below. 

** I am posting here one of the most simple yet tasty upkari/ bhaji/ stir fry made from brined tender raw jackfruit here which we Konkani Saraswats refer to all "mitta ghallele saala" meaning brined raw tender jackfruit pieces. I buy them from Mangalore stores around the month of june and then put them in large glass bottles in salt water which is prepared by me as the stores sell them brined but water drained away. This process too if followed keeps them good for over and year and can be done so by all of you in your own home. Remember to soak the brined jackfruit pieces in plenty of water for few hours or overnight to remove the excess saltiness of the brined jacfruit pieces. You can also change the water a few times every hour if you find them too salty which is not good for health. This process of soaking and changing water a few times ensures that they turn out less saltier after which they are ready to be prepared into any dish of your choice. 

** After soaking in plenty of water and removing all excess saltiness from the raw jackfruit, cut them into strips of medium sized thickness. I have used here about 4-5 cups of the strips of jackfruit pieces. You can check out the pictures below of both the raw jackfruit segments and the strips too.

** Heat 1 tblsp oil in a deep thick bottomed kadai/ pan. When hot add 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai/ sasam), when they splutter lower the heat and add 3-4 dry red chillies cut to pieces, pinch of haldi (turmeric) powder, 1 tsp of hing (asafoetida) powder and 6-8 curry leaves (kadipatta/ Karbevu). Fry for a minute and add in the cut jackfruit pieces. Mix well. Cover and let cook on its own. Sprinkle water only if necessary ie. if you find the jackfruit pieces sticking/ getting burnt at the bottom of the kadai, so be careful and keep the heat low.

** Check and add salt to taste though I never add as I find it sufficient, again be careful and add after having a taste of the same as most of the time it may not be necessary to add salt. When done, they turn soft and slightly translucent.  Garnish with some freshly grated coconut (Optional, I have not). Mix well and serve hot with Dalitoy and Rice or any other dish of your choice but goes best with Dal-Chawal.