Tender young jackfruit simmered in coconut milk and roasted spices, finished under the broiler with a crisp coconut topping for a hearty vegetarian bake.
Polos curry, made with young green jackfruit rather than the sweet ripe fruit more familiar internationally, is a hearty Sri Lankan vegetarian curry whose texture famously resembles pulled meat once it's simmered long enough to soften and shred. The unripe jackfruit is boiled first to soften it, then simmered again in a coconut milk and roasted spice curry until it absorbs the sauce fully and takes on a deep, savory flavor entirely unlike its bland raw taste. This baked version takes a well-reduced polos curry and finishes it under the broiler with a light, crisp topping of toasted coconut and curry leaves, giving textural contrast to the soft, saucy jackfruit beneath. It's a modern home adaptation rather than a strictly traditional preparation, designed to turn the curry into a shareable, bake-and-serve main course. Getting the jackfruit tender enough to shred with a fork, but not so overcooked that it turns to mush, is the main technical challenge; young jackfruit needs real simmering time in the spiced coconut milk to absorb flavor all the way through, since on its own it's almost entirely neutral in taste.
Serves 4
Boil drained jackfruit pieces in water 15 minutes until fork-tender, then drain and roughly shred with two forks.
Heat coconut oil and cook onion, curry leaves and cinnamon stick until the onion softens. Add garlic and ginger, cooking 1 minute.
Stir in roasted curry powder, turmeric and chile powder, cooking 1 minute until fragrant.
Add shredded jackfruit and coconut milk. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces and the jackfruit absorbs the flavor.
Mash some of the jackfruit strands gently with the back of the spoon as it simmers to help it soak up more of the sauce.
Transfer to a baking dish, scatter grated coconut over the top, and broil 3 to 5 minutes until the coconut is golden and toasted.
Serve hot with rice or roti.
Use young green jackfruit in brine, clearly labeled as unripe β sweet ripe jackfruit has a completely different texture and won't work for a savory curry.
Simmer the jackfruit long enough in the spiced coconut milk to absorb real flavor; it's essentially neutral on its own.
Watch the broiler closely when toasting the coconut topping β it goes from golden to burnt very quickly.
Skip the baked coconut topping for a simpler, traditional stovetop polos curry served straight from the pot.
Add cubed potato to the curry for extra heartiness.
Use fresh young jackfruit if available, simmering it slightly longer since it starts firmer than canned.
Refrigerate up to 4 days; the flavor deepens the next day. Reheat gently on the stove or in a covered dish in the oven, adding a splash of coconut milk if it's thickened too much.
Polos, or young green jackfruit curry, is a well-established Sri Lankan vegetarian dish valued for its meat-like shredded texture once cooked, historically important as a filling, protein-stretching option during periods when meat was scarce or expensive.
Yes, though fresh young jackfruit requires peeling and prepping with oiled hands due to its sticky sap, and it typically needs a slightly longer initial boil than canned to become tender.
It doesn't taste like meat on its own β it's quite neutral β but its fibrous, shreddable texture once cooked mimics pulled meat closely, which is why it absorbs curry flavors so well.
Yes β the curry is a complete, traditional dish without it; the topping is just a textural addition for this baked adaptation.
Per serving (300g / 10.6 oz) Β· 4 servings total
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