Jackfruit Biryani

There are quite a few Indian regional cuisines that boast of vegetarian delicacies featuring raw jackfruit and one such culinary gem is Jackfruit Biryani or Kathal Biryani. Tender raw jackfruit, called Panasakaya in Telugu and Kathal in Hindi, is an exotic vegetable in India and is considered as vegetarian meat because of its meat like texture and flavor.

The tender jackfruit is used to prepare curries and biryani while the semi-ripe fruit is used to prepare chips. The fully ripe jackfruit is devoured as a fruit and is also used to prepare desserts. The seeds of the jackfruit are edible and usually boiled or roasted over hot coal and eaten.

Ingredients used in Raw Jack Fruit Biryani
Basmati rice - 500 grams.
Jack fruit - 500 grams.
Sliced onion - 2 number.
Raisins - as required.
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tea spoon.
Bay leaf - 3 number.
Cashew nuts - as required.
Turmeric powder - pinch.
Salt - pinch.
Oil - as required.
Curd - 1 cup.
Red chili powder - half tea spoon.
Chopped green chilies - 4 number.
Garam masala - 2 teaspoons.
Water - as required.
Chopped mint leaves - 1 bunch.
Chopped coriander leaves - 1 bunch.
Food color (optional) - as required.
Method:
1. In a pan, fry onions till golden brown colour and keep aside.
2. Soak Basmati rice and cook 70% and keep aside.
3. Now take Raw Jack fruit apply oil to hand, cut the skin and make into cubes (do not make into small pieces). Take presure cooker add jack fruit pieces, turmeric powder, salt, little water and cook till it is 80% done.
4. Take a pan add oil, whole garam masala, bay leaf, cashew nut, rasins, green chillis, ginger garlic paste,salt and mix it well.
5. Now add boiled jack fruit, saute it then add mint leaves, coriander leaves, curd, biryani masala if required,and cook it well.
6. Now spread the jack fruit all over the pan then add fried onions (half quantity) , chili powder, add 70% cooked rice, mint leaves, coriander leaves, onions left over, add food color, cover it with a lid and cook on a slow flame for about 10 minutes.