Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins
Serves 6

Ingredients – Echorer Dalna

Echorer Dalna has the following ingredients

Jack & Chill Frozen Young Jackfruit Chunks 600Gms
2 medium onions, preferably red, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced, in rectangular shapes, 1 inch dimensions. 
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1/2 tablespoon garlic paste
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil/mustard oil 
2-4 green chillies

1 bayleaf

1/2 teaspoon cumin whole

1/2 tablespoon cumin powder

1/2 tablespoon coriander powder

1/2 tablespoon garam masala powder (a mix of cloves, cardamom and cinnamon, dry roasted and fine grinded)

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon kashmiri red chilli powder or cayenne powder 

2 tablespoon ghee/clarified butter

salt to taste

Method – Echorer Dalna

Echorer Dalna needs the following steps:
1. Defrost the Frozen Jackfruit pieces thoroughly in a microwave.

Mix them with 1/4 tablespoon of turmeric powder and salt.

2. Heat the oil in a deep pan. When the oil starts to smoulder, add the cumin seeds, bay leaf and the green chillies (if using), fry them for about 30 seconds. Add the cumin powder and coriander powder and stir for another 30 seconds.

3. Add the chopped onions and keep frying until soft. Add the tomato puree, ginger and garlic paste, and continue cooking until the oil has separated. 

4. Meanwhile peel the potatoes and cut them into chunky cubes of 1inch x 1 inch, wash and drain. For easy and quick cooking, place them inside a plastic bag, pierce the bag in a few places with a knife and cook in a microwave for about 4 minutes. The potatoes should be soft, but not fully cooked. 

5. Put the potato pieces in the pan and mix them well with the fried masala. Add the jackfruit pieces and keep stirring. Add turmeric powder, salt, sugar and cayenne powder and keep mixing. Take care not to break the jackfruit or potato pieces. After 3 minutes, add 1 cup of water and put the lid on. After the water boils, cook on low flame for about 10 minutes. Check at a mid-point that the pieces are not overcooked. Add some more water if the curry becomes very dry. Adjust the cooking time until the potatoes and the jackfruit becomes fully cooked.

6. The cooked curry should not be dry, and yet not entirely runny. Add the garam masala powder when the desired consistency is reached and add the ghee. Put the lid on for a few minutes, serve hot with rice and enjoy!

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Contributed by Sharmistha Chaudhuri, London