Jack of all tastes

It doesnrsquot matter if you call it phanas kathal palappalam or as this writer prefers the Konkani name phonos The spiky jackfruit is an integral ingredient and is served as an edible harbinger in the summer along with the mango The pungent smelling fruit is as versatile as it can get and is used to make murabbas jams and papads or playing a starring role in Awadhi biryanis as well as a rich Mangalorean ghee roastOver the past few seasons the unripe fruitrsquos very chameleonlike flavoursoaking adaptability has made it the leading de facto meat substitute the world over We have curated a selection of allvegetarian unripe jackfruit dishes available across city restaurantsSmoked BBQ kathal tacoThis rendition of a traditional Mexican al pastorstyle taco at the Ammata restobar Andheri East reminds us of a wellmade pulled pork taco Here the cooked unripe jackfruit strands are doused in a smoked BBQ sauce mimicking the texture and taste of meat sitting atop two softshell corn tacos These are finished off with a dollop of creamy guacamoleLog on to ammatabarCall 7905900076Cost Rs 395Jackfruit vindaloo tacoTaking the fusion route this taco from Bombay Taco Co Bandra West claims to be a celebration of Mexican street food with Spanish roots given a Goan twist Here a moderately spicy unripe jackfruit vindaloo is rendered to thick gravy thatrsquos then spooned atop three tacos A tangy fruity pineapple salsa and cooling sol kadhi are its accompaniments making for a perfect summer indulgenceLog on to bombaytacocoCall 8591174660Cost Rs 275Pulled jackfruit burgerThis meatytasting pulled jackfruit burger at Seeds of Life is available at both the Bandra and Juhu outposts The filling is made from unripe jackfruit The usual fixings like tomato lettuce cheddar cheese and gherkins along with barbecue sauce accompany it Though served on a whole wheat bun one can also opt for a glutenfree version Rs 75 extraLog on to seedsoflife_mumbaiCall 8591882863Cost Rs 450Grilled jackfruit saladOffering a virtual lsquocapsule collectionrsquo of dishes using unripe jackfruit Burma Burma at Fort sure knows how to pay obeisance to the fruit Among its bestsellers is the grilled jackfruit salad that sees the fruit tossed in a sweet chilli dressing along with lettuce red and green tomatoes and shallots Also on the menu are spiced jack meatballs Rs 380 a trio of BBQ jackfruit baos Rs 370 and jackfruit grilled sticky rice parcels wrapped in banana leaf Rs 520Log on to burmaburmaindiaCall 40036600Cost Rs 450Pulled jackfruit tacos and BBQ jackfruit burgerKeeping it all vegetarian in a menu thatrsquos otherwise meatheavy this duo of jackfruit based dishes is the double barrelled shot by the new Bougain Villa at Lower Parel at being inclusive The serving of four softshelled jackfruit tacos is made with pulled jackfruit that is slow cooked along with BBQ sauce Lightly seasoned with a blend of spices the tacos are served with mild cheddar sauce The pulled BBQ jackfruit burger on the other hand is served alongside onion jam and melted provolone cheese for a gooey finishLog on to bougainvillamumbaiCall 8976055750Cost Rs 395 tacos Rs 425 burgerSpiced jack meatballsIngredientsmdash For the meatballs 200 gm boiledunripe jackfruit frac12 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic chopped 1 bird chilli chopped 1 tsp coriander chopped 1 tbsp springonion chopped frac14 tsp five spice powder 2 tsp light soy frac12 limersquos juice Salt as required Sugar a pinch frac12 tsp crushedblack pepper 1 tbsp cornflourmdash For the pickledchilli sauce 1 cup dried red chilli 56 cloves garlic 1 tbsp fried onion 1 tbsp light soy 1 tsp palm sugar frac12 cup cider vinegar Salt as required 1 birdrsquos eye chilliMethodBoil the unripe jackfruit in a pressure cooker for about three whistles and let it remain in the residual steam for another 10 minutes Drain the jackfruit squeeze out all the water and mash it completely Add in all of the main ingredients in the order mentioned above and mix it well Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for an hour Divide the mixture into 2530 gm balls and roll it in the palms of your hands At this stage you might need to grease your palms with a bit of oil Steam the jackfruit meat balls for 10 minutes and serve hot For the sauce soak the dried red chilli and garlic in apple cider vinegar overnight Drain and combine with the remaining sauce ingredients in a blender to a slightly coarse paste To serve spread the pickled chilli sauce at the base of a plate and place the steaming jackfruit meat balls over itChef Ansab Khan Burma Burma