Phanasachi Bhaji/Fanas Bhaji (Green Jackfruit Dry Curry)

Boiled and mashed Green jackfruit  sauted with garlic, onion and  spices!

                                Phanas/Ponos/Halasin Kayi Bhaji/Subji
Jackfruit is an exotic tropical fruit which is huge and prickly. Find more information about jackfruit here and also Shilpa has a great post. The ripe jackfruit is eaten as fruit while the young green ones are used to make bhaji or used in curries. In India it is famous in the Konkani/Malvani cuisines and all along the west coast. Me being from Belgaum, used to always wait for the monsoons for three reasons..the rains, mangoes and jackfruit!!! Almost every other day during the monsoons we used to have this vegetable as it has property of keeping the body warm. 

Since Belgaum borders Goa, Maharastra, the cuisine is as individual as homes and depends on the influence of where lot of family and relatives belong! I believe  cuisines are developed with what is abundantly available in the region. So masoor(lentil) grows abundantly in Belgaum and is most often used in my grandmothers recipes. Back home our food has an influence of konkan/malvani cuisine .So here is one of the bhaji famous in konkan with addition of masoor(whole lentil) it becomes more of a Belagaum style! One could add peas instead of lentil and its tastes good too as I do add it occasionally.

Here in US I haven’t come across any raw jackfruits so I get a can from Korean store or frozen one from Indian stores. It is also an ideal replacement for meat in recipes.

Ingredients:
1 can of young green jackruit(2 cups shredded)
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/4 cup masoor(whole lentil), soaked, cooked…(OPTIONAL)
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder (reduce to make less spicy)
pinch of turmeric
salt to taste

Preparation Method:


1. Rinse the jackfruit pieces with hot water and shred them with hands.(If using a raw young jackfruit, then cut it into 3 inch cubes and boil them in enough water. Add a tbsp of oil so that the vessel remains clear from while sticky liquid. Once cooked, then remove the prickly exterior. Then shred them with hands or mash them with a masher)
2. Heat oil in a pan or vessel and add  minced garlic and sauté till you get a nice flavor of garlic. Add in the chopped onions and saute till translucent.
3. Add salt , chili powder, turmeric and saute and immediately add the cooked whole lentils or even peas if preferred.
4 Add the shredded jackfruit and mix evenly. Sprinkle little water and close the lid and let it cook on low heat for few minutes.
5. Remove and serve with ghavne / bhakri or as a side.




Preparation Time: 15 – 20 mins(if using canned)
                            45- 60 mins from scratch
Serves: 2

This is also a monsoon season speciality of the  Konkan cuisine and will go to WYF Speciality Food  by EC


Precaution: Because of the extreme heat property of jackfruit, pregnant mothers or mothers to be, should not consume raw or ripe jackfruit,. Thats my grand mother’s advice !!!!