My intention was to dive into more Palestine and Israel dishes for this week, but I saw this enormous cempedak fruit in the market. I know I have to get it. It is rare to see an entire cempedak or jackfruit putting up for sale. The recipes that came to my mind are 2 Sri Lankan dishes. One of which is this fabulous Kiri Kos; actually a jackfruit masala stew (yes I still dislike using the word "curry").
But cempedak isn't jackfruit, you must be wondering. Well, let's say that durian and jackfruit have a birthchild and it is cempedak. It has the aroma of jackfruit and the texture of durian. So, in my mind, I was thinking why not? And to my surprise, this tastes even better! Cempedak has that sweet funk that elevates this entire dish.
If you do not have the chance of getting any cempedak, you can use fresh or canned jackfruit. I know it is super scarce outside of South East Asia. And fret not, I got you covered as all the tips are included in the recipe down below. This is a rather straightforward and easy recipe, so no excuse for you not to give this a try. Furthermore, this is 100% plant-based and vegan.
Ingredients:
(Serve 4)
Coconut Oil, 2 TBSP
Red Onion Finely Sliced, 1
Sea Salt, Pinch
Demerara Sugar, Pinch
Ginger Finely Minced, 1/2"
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Curry Leaves, A Bunch
Pandan Leaves, 2
Coriander Powder, 1 TSP
Cumin Powder, 3/4 TSP
Black Pepper, 1/2 TSP
Mustard Seeds, 1/4 TSP
Fennel Seed Powder, 1/4 TSP
Cayenne, 1 TSP
Turmeric Powder, 1/2 TSP
Cinnamon Stick Preferably Hexa, 1
Cloves, 3
Green Cardamom, 3
Tamarind Juice, 1 TBSP
Cempedak / Jackfruit, 25
Chickpeas Canned, 400g
Coconut Milk, 285g
Coriander / Scallions Finely Chopped, For Garnish
Equipment:
Cast Iron Skillet / Pan
Directions:
In a skillet over medium heat, add coconut oil.
Once the oil is heated up, add in the onion.
Season with salt and sugar.
Saute until lightly caramelized.
Add in garlic and ginger.
Saute until aromatic.
Add in curry and pandan leaves.
Saute until aromatic.
Add in the coriander, cumin, pepper. mustard, fennel, cayenne, turmeric, Hexa's Cinnamon Stick, cloves and cardamom.
Saute until well combined.
Add in cempedak or jackfruit and chickpeas.
*You can use the Aquafaba to make some vegan meringue.*
Saute until well combined.
Add in coconut milk and 1/4 cup of water.
Deglaze and stir to combine well.
Bring it up to simmer.
Simmer for 15 to 20 mins or until the chickpeas are soft.
Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt. Give it a final stir
Remove from heat and garnish with coriander.
*You can fish out the pandan leaves and whole spices.*
Serve immediately.
Pro Tip:
I am using fresh cempedak from the entire fruit. I also kept the seeds for another recipe as they can be eaten as well.
If you are using canned jackfruit, be sure to taste and adjust for sweetness as they can be quite tangy. Canned jackfruit are young jackfruit and might take longer to cook.
If you are using fresh chickpeas, soak them in water overnight. They also take longer to cook. Add more water as needed, 1/8 cup at a time.
This is the cempedak fruit.