Kathal is a jackfruit which has a bright yellow colored pulp and a green-skin. It is eaten as a fruit when it is ripened but the unripe Kathal is known as “Enchor or Echor” pronounced as “ey-chore”.
In the summer season after mangoes, this is one of the best fruits that one can cook. The meat and chewy taste of this fruit is making it one of the best cooking vegetables for both in veg and non veg items.
In Bengal Echor is known as “Gach Pantha” that is the goat fruit that grows on trees. The reason behind this is the delicious taste and little signifying shape of the pieces when cooked.
The Kathaler Echor is eaten all over the country but it is mainly seen in Bengali and North India veg cuisines.
Though Bengalis use it in both veg and non veg preparation. Fledging a jackfruit from the tree to cook it completely needs precision and experience as each and every activity is a work of art.
This one of the non veg dishes where prawn and jackfruit constitute a perfect blend. Other spices like turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin powder mixed with sliced onion and ginger garlic paste make it wonderful.
This recipe can be made without coconut milk. But if you are inserting coconut milk along with other spices like turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin powder mixed with sliced onion and ginger garlic paste it enhances the taste of the prawns in the jackfruit mix. You can add garam masala in the end.
Kathal Ki Sabji
This is a North Indian dish which is prepared with spices like turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin powder.
Other than this chopped tomatoes, sliced onion, ginger garlic paste is being used to blend and make the curry spicier and more perfect. You can garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Kathal Biryani
This is a vegetarian biryani which is made with kathal where rice with green peas and unripe jackfruit is cooked in stem with nice aromatic spices.
Kathal Ka Achaar
This is a very delicious pickle which can be easily made with red chillies, jackfruit chunks, mustard oil, asafoetida, onion seeds, mustard seeds and turmeric.
This is prepared by boiling and smashing the jackfruit and then blending it with different spices and after that it is fried in the pan.
Echor Tarkari/Dalna
This is a vegetarian dish prepared with spices like turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin powder. Other than this chopped tomatoes, ginger paste with green chilis.
You can blend it very nicely and cook it perfectly and finally garnish with fresh coriander heaves.
Jackfruit Payasam
Jackfruit seeds, grapes and cashew, cardamom powder, jaggery and milk. All this is blended to form a kheer which is known as Jackfruit Payasam.
How Does Kathal Taste?
Kathal when it is ripe it tastes extremely sweet and chewy. But when it is unripe then it is having a meaty flavor of its own.
What Can Be Made from Kathal?
There are many recipes like Echor Tarkari/Dalna, Jackfruit Payasam, Kathal Ke Kebab, Achar, Chips, Biriyani, Sabji, Echor Chingri, Echor Cholar Dal, Cutlets, Patties, Sweets, Kathal smoothie etc can be made by with Kathal.
What is the Best Way to Cook Kathal?
The best way to cook Kathal is to boil the unripe green with a little bit of salt and turmeric.
Then with spices like turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin powder is cooked with sliced onion and tomatoes.
It is cooked like mutton and it will certainly taste like it.
How Do You Remove Bitterness from Kathal?
In a saucepan add water and a stock cube and boil the water and add the jackfruit (Kathal) and keep it for 1 hr. then repeat the step with the second stock cube.
The jackfruit will change the color and look softer.
Kathal is first boiled with salt and turmeric. Then spices like turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin powder mixed with sliced onion and ginger garlic paste.
Then it is cooked thoroughly till the masala is cooked properly. Potato chunks are also added with green chilis. It is garnished with fresh coriander leaves.
Questions & Answers:
Is Jackfruit and Kathal the Same?
Yes, Jackfruit and Kathal are the same.
Does Kathal Taste Like Mutton?
Yes, when cooked with whole spices Kathal gives a meaty flavor like mutton.
What Can You Do with Kathal?
You can cook different recipes of unripe green Kathal and if the Kathal is ripe then you can eat the fruit just like that.
How Long Does Kathal Take to Cook?
Kathal will take 45 mins to 1 hour to cook.
Can You Eat Kathal Raw?
Yes, if the Kathal is ripe then we can eat it raw.
Do You Need to Marinate Kathal?
You can marinate Kathal with salt, turmeric and a little bit of oil.
How Do You Wash Your Hands After Kathal?
First of all, when you are cutting Kathal then you rub your hand with mustard oil so that after cutting it then you can simply wash your hand with soap.
Do You Have to Cook Kathal?
If the Kathal is unripe then you have to cook it and then eat it.
What is the Edible Part in a Kathal?
The fruit pods inside the Kathal are the edible part.
What is Kathal Called in Different Languages?
Kathal is known as Jack fruit in English and in both Bengali and English it is known as Kathal.
