Spicy Kadgi (Raw Jackfruit) Onion Masala.

"Spicy Kadgi (Raw Jackfruit) Onion Masala" ... After eating regular amchi chakko many times, I really wanted to try out something different, so tried my own version of mix of spicy masala and prepared with onions ... Tastes awesome, goes well both as side dish with dal-rice or with roti/parathas too ... Yummy Yumz .......

** When raw jackfruit ie. kadgi is in season, most of Amchi Konkani Saraswats end up preparing chakko a semi dry side dish that is one of the favorite dish of all. I have already posted that dish before. As the saying goes when in Rome be Roman, so is our policy in home when any vegetable is in season consume it rather than going behind that which are scarcely available. Due to addition of chemicals and god knows what sort of fertilizers most of the veggies are available almost all round the year now unlike before. 3 to 4 decades back it was not so, veggies were available as per season and we relished them to hearts content and waited patiently for the next season to come. Now I myself at times forget which season what veggies are available such is the case. Raw Jackfruit is available almost from the month of November to May-June in Mumbai. But it is very difficult to get the very tender ones as most of the time the seeds will have almost grown in the kadgi. 

** Well, we have no choice but to purchase that which is available to me in my vicinity as I hate going in the outskirts to buy the same as it turns out not only tedious but time consuming and costly too. But the good thing about raw jackfruit is we get them all cleaned up and cut into huge chunks, so all we need to do once we bring them home is cut it into the required sized pieces and use as per our desire. After the hectic festive period of Rama Navami I was too tired and was really not in mood to cook much. However, the raw jackfruit in the fridge had to be used lest it gets spoilt and then turns inedible. So I reluctantly decided to prepare what else but our regular kadgi chakko, but then since we had eaten it at a thread ceremony function just the previous day somehow my heart was not set on it. Hubby to made a long face and that made me even more reluctant to go ahead, finally I decided to prepare my own concoction of a spicy masala and prepare the same with some addition of onions and garlic and try out something new and spicy. 

** Eurekha ! the dish turned out simply awesome and hubby loved it very much as I had made it spicy and sour too both taste of which he simply loves, as for me I am not a lover of very spicy food, but yes this dish was excellent and went well with dalitoy and rice as a side dish. For dinner I served it with roti and it was a superb combo too. Actually a simple curry wherein I have used sambar powder too along with other spices. Addition of sambar powder to masala is something I tried on my own about 2 decades back when I was asked to avoid coconut masala and spicy chillies for my throat problem which actually turned out to be higher level of acidity. I had to switch over from my regular oil and for about 6 months I could not prepare much of our masala dishes, that was the period when I relied upon samabr powder and prepared every dish in sambar style, with addition of the powder and seasoning as per the dishes. The habit got stuck and many a times I add a dash of sambar powder while grinding masala and it gives really a good texture and aroma to the dishes. 

** Here is my own recipe for "Spicy Kadgi (Raw Jackfruit) Onion Masala" … My Style … 

** Ingredients : 

Raw Jackfruit / Kadgi / Halasina Kayi : 300-400 gms. 

Onion / Piyav / Kanda : 1 large sized or 2 medium sized. 

Curry Leaves / Kadipatta / Karbev : 10-12 fresh ones 

Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder : 1 tsp 

Haldi / Turmeric Powder : Just a pinch (Optional) 

Salt to taste 

Oil / Tel : 2-3 tblsp 

** For Masala to be Ground : 

Coconut / Soyi : ½ cup freshly grated. 

Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder / Mirchi Powder : 2 tblsp 

Sambar Powder : 1 tblsp 

Garlic / Losun / Lehsun : 3-4 cloves 

Tamarind / Chinchama / Imly : one small lemon sized. 

Dhania / Coriander / Kothimbir Powder : 1 tsp 

** Cutting of Raw Jackfruit : In my locality we get the raw jackfruit all cleaned and cut into huge chunks while purchasing. But if you don’t get it, just slice off the spiked skin portion of the jackfruit and the center pith and then cut them to pieces. See to it that you oil your hands and the knife as jackfruit is sticky and has a rubber like liquid oozing out while cutting the same. Cut them into pieces, wash well, and keep them ready aside. In all you will need about 300–400 gms of cut pieces. 

** Apply oil both inside the cooker vessel and the inner side of the lid slightly before adding in the kadgi / Jackfruit pieces. As the rubberish stickness will not then be stuck to the cooker and will come out clean. Put the cut raw jackfruit pieces in a pressure cooker pan in a layer. Add in enough water say about an inch above the jackfruit pieces. Pressure cook to 1-2 whistle on medium heat. It does not take much time when cooked in pressure cooker and over cooking may mash it up. So plz. be careful while adding the water too. Let the pressure drop on its own. Once able to open the lid, do so and allow to cool a little bit. Once it has cooled down slice it into thing long slices or you can coarsely mash it too, like we do for chakko. 

** For the Masala to be Ground : Add Coconut, Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder, Sambar Powder, Garlic, Tamarind, Dhania into a mixer grinder machine and grind to a smooth paste with little bit of water. Remove and keep this ready aside. 

** In a thick bottomed kadai add in the oil and bring to full heat, once it is hot lower the heat to medium and add in the onions and fry till they are translucent. Now lower the heat and add in the curry leaves, pinch of haldi powder (Optional) and the kashmiri red chilly powder and further fry for a few seconds. 

** Finally add in the ground masala and fry for another 2-3 minutes on medium heat taking care not to burn the masala. If too thick, you can sprinkle some water. Now add in about 1 cup of water and bring to a boil, once it comes to a boiling point, lower the heat to minimum and add in the mashed cooked raw jackfruit pieces/kadgi, salt to taste and mix well. 

** Cover the kadai with a dome shaped lid and let cook in its own steam on low heat. Do mix the curry in between to avoid it getting stuck to the bottom. The curry thicken and turns out dries, check for the required consistency and once you find that it is cooked well, remove from fire and keep it aside covered for a good 15-20 minutes before serving. 

** "Spicy Kadgi (Raw Jackfruit) Onion Masala" is done and ready to be served. This is a very spicy dish and goes well as an accompaniment both with dal-chawal or roti/paratha. I served it as a side dish with Dalitoy and Rice along with Cashew Apple fruit Gojju another delicacy I tried today after hearing about the same from a friend. Do try out this spicy dish when raw jackfruit is still in season and enjoy with your family and friends. 

** Note : You can increase or decrease the level of spicy, but for this particular pattern of dish the spicier it tastes great. Also do not decrease the amount of tamarind, as when the spice level of the dish is high the tamarind should be in a slightly higher than normally added measure to make the dish that much tastier. 

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