Jack fruit seed Soya chunk Potato fry/ Pala kottai Urulai Varuval

Should call it a lucky day for shopping.. After two years of my stay here in San Diego, it was today, that I had a chance to find jack fruit and banana leaf in the near by Chinese grocery store..

Jack fruit being a favorite fruit for me and my hubby, we just grabbed a bag of it never minding about the cost.. Of course it was way too costly.. But still the sweetness and smell of the ripe jack fruits were real yum!! In India, jack fruit is nothing big, we can find it anywhere anytime.. And I remember those dishes which my mom make without wasting even those jack fruit seeds ( know as pala kottai in Tamil).

Jack fruit seeds taste the something like peanut or chestnuts when boiled. They taste good when boiled or roasted on open fire. Also they add great flavor when used in cooking. My mom used to make pala kottai chicken fry and pala kottai soy chunks fry.

I made the same pala kottai soy chunks fry, but added few potatoes just because I didn't have enough seeds.. :D Still it tasted good. I am sending this to Best out of waste event at Nithu's Kitchen.

Things needed
Jack fruit seeds - 10 nos.
Potato - 1 no. small size
Soya chunks/ Meal makers -  2 Cups ( Soaked in warm water for about 15 minutes)
Onion - 1 no. medium sized ( Chopped )
Tomato - 1 no. medium sized ( Chopped )
Jeera/ Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chilly - 2nos.
Asafoetida - a pinch
Tumeric powder - a pinch
Chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander/ Dhaniya powder - 1 tbsp
Garlic pearls - 3 nos. ( Chopped )
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander/ Cilantro - For garnishing
Oil - 1 tsp

Boil the soy chunks, potatoes and jack fruit seed with required amount of salt for about 15 minutes. Once done squeeze out excess water from the soy chunks and peel off the skin from jack fruit seeds. Chop the the seeds to smaller size, if desired.

Heat oil in a pan, add red chillies, asafoetida, cumin seeds and chopped garlic. When the cumin seeds start sizzling, add the onions, tomatoes, salt, tumeric powder, chilly and coriander powder to the pan. Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell vanished from the mixture.

To this mixture add the boiled soy chunks, potatoes and jack fruit seeds and cook covered for 15 minutes. Tasty Pala kottai Urulai varuval is ready to served with rice or chapathis.

Happy cooking!!