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Kos ata curry

කොස් ඇට කරිය (kos ata curry): jackfruit seeds in a roasted curry powder and coconut milk gravy

During the jackfruit season, roughly April to July, Sri Lankan households save every seed, and kos ata curry is how they become a hearty weekday dish served with rice and greens. The seeds are boiled tender, peeled of their papery skin, then simmered in a dark roasted curry powder and coconut milk gravy until they taste like chestnuts in a spicy sauce. Serve with red rice and a sambol. The usual mistake is undercooking the seeds; they must be boiled until a fork goes in easily, or they stay hard and are hard to digest. A pressure cooker saves time: boil the seeds for 10 minutes on high. Chef's tip: crack each seed lightly with the flat of a knife before simmering so it soaks up the gravy.
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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Fresh ingredients (6)

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Boil 12 ½ oz jackfruit seeds in plenty of water with half the ½ tsp salt for 20 minutes, until a fork pierces them easily. Drain, cool for a few minutes, then peel off the white outer skin and crack each seed lightly.

    25 min
  2. Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in the same pot over a medium heat. Fry 1 red onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp fresh ginger, 1 sprig curry leaves and 1 green chilli for 4 minutes until golden.

    4 min
  3. Step 3: Stir in 1 ½ tbsp Sri Lankan roasted curry powder, ½ tsp chilli powder and ¼ tsp ground turmeric for 30 seconds, then add 1 tomato and cook for 2 minutes until soft.

    3 min
  4. Step 4: Add the seeds, 1 ¼ cups coconut milk and the rest of the ½ tsp salt. Simmer uncovered for 8 minutes until the gravy is thick and clings to the seeds.

    8 min
  5. Step 5: Serve warm with rice.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
330 kcal
Protein
9 g
Carbs
40 g
Fat
16 g
Fibre
5 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does kos ata curry take?
About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of red onion?
White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
What can I use instead of garlic?
½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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