This Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry is creamy, vegan, and packed full of flavour. It uses an array of spices that lifts this curry to a new level. Enjoy!
About This Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry
This recipe is part of my 5 Dishes Deep series. I haven't posted all the recipes on my website, so if you'd like to follow along, then check out my Instagram or TikTok to see the other dishes I've explored from Sri Lanka.
In Sri Lanka, jackfruit is known as Polos. It's become more widely available in supermarkets across the UK and Europe, but has been a popular ingredient in Asia for centuries. It's perfect for vegan dishes as it has a meaty texture that absorbs flavour like no tomorrow.
Ingredients For This Recipe
Now, this recipe does include quite a lot of different spices, which I understand can be a bit overwhelming for those who don't use spices that much. HOWEVER, I highly recommend biting the bullet and just buying them. Spices never really go off...so if you buy them now, you know you'll always have them for when you want to make a spice-infused dish like this one! Plus, it's always impressive to have your friends round for a dinner party and present them with a beautiful curry that you've made from scratch!
So, here is the list of spices you'll need:
- Coriander seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Fennel seeds
- Cinnamon stick
- Fenugreek seeds
- Cardamom pods
- Black peppercorns
- Curry leaves
- Chilli powder
- Chilli flakes
Just think of the flavour that these beauties will bring!
Variations and Substitutions for this Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry
If you're able to buy jackfruit fresh, then go for it, but make sure it hasn't ripened yet! However, I bought tinned jackfruit which worked really well. If you love the curry sauce for this recipe but fancy a different bulking ingredient, feel free to use chopped-up chicken breast or thigh!
In terms of spices, if you're not able to buy any of the spices whole, then purchase the ground versions, but make sure to leave the ground versions out of the roasting process, or they'll burn.
To serve up, you can eat this curry with rice (my personal favourite), or with a form of bread e.g. Roti.
Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry
Ingredients Â
Spice Mix
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 cardamom pods, seeds from inside
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 7 curry leaves
Curry Sauce
- 2 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground fenugreek
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 5 curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 400ml jackfruit (tinned)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 400ml coconut milk
- 2 lime wedges to serve
InstructionsÂ
For The Spice Mix
- Place a frying pan on medium heat and add in all of your spice mix ingredients. Stir frequently for around 5 minutes or until the spices are lightly toasted. Remove from the pan and transfer into a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder.
- Grind your spices until a smooth powder has formed.
For The Curry
- Place a medium-sized pan on medium heat with your oil of choice. Transfer your garlic and onion to the pan and stir frequently. Leave the onions and garlic to sweat for 5 minutes.
- Next, add in the rest of your curry sauce spices, salt, sugar, and your roasted ground spice mix. Give your ingredients a good stir until well combined.
- Pour in your jackfruit and then add in your coconut milk.
- Gently add in around 100ml of water, bring to a boil, and then leave to simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the lid and give everything a stir. Keep cooking your curry for a further 10 minutes without the lid on. You want the curry sauce to reduce to give you a thicker sauce.
- You'll want to get your rice on the go now if you're having it!
- Once your curry is of the right thickness for your liking, and your jackfruit is soft, you're ready to serve up with a wedge of lime and enjoy!
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