Jackfruit biryani or kathal ka pulao is made with raw jackfruit and is an indulgent vegetarian centerpiece dish. Every bit as delicious as the more famous meat biryani.
This recipe is one of the signature dishes of my late mother. We eagerly awaited whenever fresh jackfruit was in season.
Unlike regular biryani, it requires no marination and tastes really meaty and delectable.
Variations and Substitutions
1. This recipe is dairy free. But if you eat dairy, use Greek yogurt and ghee in place of oil and plant-based yogurt.
2. Adjust the spice as per your taste. This is a nice moderately spicy recipe.
3. You can use canned jackfruit or use raw and cook it the way mentioned.
4. If you don't have basmati rice, you can use sona masoori or another fragrant rice.
Tips and Tricks to Make the Best Jackfruit Biryani or Pulao
1. Buy green jackfruit that must not be ripe at all. It is a bit of a task to cut it with its sticky sap. You can check out how to cut jackfruit.
2. You can also use canned jackfruit pieces for this dish. Drain and dry them well before using.
3. Normally, I saute jackfruit pieces with oil and salt till they are semi-cooked. Some people deep fry them too.
That way I can store them in the fridge for up to a week and cook different dishes. Nowadays I air fry the jackfruit pieces. Uses lesser oil and is faster.
4. Use basmati rice for the authentic biryani taste.
You can use vegetable biryani spice mix or even garam masala in case you don't want to make your own garam masala.
5. Boiling the jackfruit for one whistle in pressure cooker is important for jackfruit pieces to be cooked adequately or cook it in stovetop on low flame for 10-15 minutes with 1 cup water. Skip this step if using canned jackfruit.
Instructions
Take 2 cups basmati rice. Rinse it well with water and soak for 30 minutes. This makes the rice grains fluffy on cooking.
Heat about 6 cups of water in a pan and add soaked and drained basmati rice along with 1 bay leaf, 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon and 2 green cardamom. Add ½ tsp. salt and 1 tsp. oil.
Once it is half cooked in about 10 minutes, drain and keep aside.
Cooking Jackfruit in Skillet
Saute the jackfruit in 2 tbsp. oil after sprinkling salt on it till it is nicely browned. You can also deep fry tender jackfruit pieces in oil.
Normally takes about 10 minutes on low flame. You want the jackfruit to be half cooked. Then pressure cook it for one whistle or cook on stovetop with 1 cup water to cook it well.
In case using canned jackfruit, saute in 2 tbsp. oil till golden browned.
Cooking jackfruit in air fryer
Add 1 tsp. mustard oil or olive oil along with ½ tsp. salt to the cut jackfruit pieces.
Preheat air fryer at 160C or 320F for about 5 minutes.
Lay the jackfruit pieces in one layer.
Air fry at 160C or 320F for about 10 minutes till the pieces are lightly browned and half cooked. Keep aside.
Pressure cook it for one whistle to cook it completely.
If using canned jackfruit, drain the pieces and only apply a bit of oil for browning. No need to add extra salt.
Air fry at 160C or 320F for about 5 minutes.
To prepare Jackfruit Biryani
In a pan, heat 1 tbsp. mustard oil or olive oil or ghee (for dairy eaters). Add a bay leaf, few peppercorn, one cinnamon stick and 3 cloves.
Now, add in the chopped onions, chopped chillies, ginger-garlic paste and saute till all are nicely browned.
Add in the tomatoes, whipped cashew yogurt and the spice powders. Fry till mushy.
Now add the air fried or fried jackfruit pieces and 1 cup water.
Cook for about 5 minutes on low flame till it becomes thick. Taste and adjust salt and spices.
Now add the half-cooked rice on top of this curried jackfruit. Add 2 tsp. oil/ghee all over the rice along with chopped coriander leaves.
Cover and cook on low flame for about 10-15 minutes so that the flavours assimilate and the rice gets completely cooked. Take it off the flame.
Mix well and serve hot kathal biryani or jackfruit biryani with raita for a lavish meal.
Here's the recipe card:
📖 Recipe Card
Jackfruit Biryani or Kathal ka Pulao
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. jackfruit or 450 gm. sauteed in oil and salt or air fried or use canned
- 1 tsp. oil for air frying
For Biryani rice
- 2 cups Basmati rice washed and soaked in water for half an hour
- 1 tsp. oil or ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cloves
- 1 cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
For Jackfruit curry
- 1 tbsp. oil or ghee
- 2 onions sliced
- 2 tsp. ginger garlic paste or minced
- 2 tomatoes pureed
- 2 green chillies sliced
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- ½ tsp. cayenne or paprika
- 2 tsp. veg biryani spice mix or garam masala
- ½ cup cashew yogurt or thick Indian curd or Greek yogurt
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp. cilantro chopped
- 2 tsp. oil or ghee when assembling the biryani
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Instructions
Boiling Basmati Rice
- Wash 2 cups basmati rice and soak in water for 30 minutes. Bring water to a boil for preparing basmati rice.
- Add salt to it. When it comes to a rolling boil, add soaked rice along with all the whole spices and oil and let it cook for about 8 minutes or till it is half cooked.
- It should not be completely cooked. Drain and keep aside.
Sauteeing jackfruit in pan
- Saute jackfruit pieces in a skillet in 2 tbsp. oil after sprinkling salt on it, till it is nicely browned.Normally takes about 10 minutes on low flame. You want the jackfruit to be half cooked. In case using canned jackfruit, saute in 2 tbsp. oil till golden browned.
- Now pressure cook it for 1 whistle or cook covered in a pan after adding 1 cup water to cook the jackfruit till it is soft. This step is only for raw jackfruit not canned.
Cooking jackfruit in air fryer
- Add 1 tsp. mustard oil or olive oil along with 1 tsp. salt to the cut jackfruit pieces.
- Preheat air fryer at 160C or 320F for about 5 minutes.Lay the jackfruit pieces in one layer.
- Air fry at 160C or 320F for about 8-10 minutes till the pieces are lightly browned and half cooked. Keep aside.
- If using canned jackfruit, drain the pieces and only apply a bit of oil for browning. No need to add extra salt.Air fry at 160C or 320F for about 6-8 minutes.
- Now pressure cook it for 1 whistle or cook covered in a pan after adding 1 cup water to cook the jackfruit till it is soft.
Prepare Biryani Curry
- In a pan, heat 1 tbsp. mustard oil or ghee. Add a bay leaf, one cinnamon stick, some peppercorn and 3 cloves.Now, add in the chopped onions, chopped chillies, ginger-garlic paste and saute till all are nicely browned.
- Add in the tomatoes, whipped yogurt and the spice powders. Fry till mushy. Add the cooked jackfruit pieces.
- Cook for about 5 minutes on low flame till the curry becomes thick. Taste and adjust salt and spices.
To Assemble Biryani
- Add the half-cooked rice on top of this curried jackfruit. Add 2 tsp.oil/ghee on top along with chopped cilantro.
- Cover and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes so that the flavours assimilate.Mix well and serve hot kathal biryani or jackfruit biryani with raita for a lavish meal.
- Storage: This keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days in air tight container. It tastes better after keeping for a few hours as jackfruit pieces become more flavorful.
Notes
- You can add a few mint leaves and also fried onions to the half-cooked rice at the time of assembling to make this dish even closer to the non-veg biryani.
- Dairy eaters can use Greek yogurt and ghee in place of oil and cashew yogurt.
- You can use canned jackfruit in this recipe. Makes it easier and mess free. Drain the pieces well and dry them before air frying.
- You can use any brand vegetable biryani spice mix in the recipe. In case you can't find it, use garam masala.
- Adjust the spice as per taste. Skip the green chillies if you like your biryani milder.
- You can add some cashew powder or paste to the jackfruit pieces when they are simmering for a richer taste.
Nutrition
If you liked the recipe, I request you to leave a star * rating. Thanks.
Santulan says
Have always made sabji, and never pulav. Will try next time I get some
Rachna says
Hope you like it.
Santulan says
Have always made sabji, and never pulav. Will try next time I get some
Rachna says
Hope you like it.
shilpaagarg says
You know, the ripe jackfruit (to be eaten as fruit) is rarely seen in North, unlike South India. Here we use it only for making kathal ki sabzi. Must try this out, looks great!
Rachna says
True, Shilpa! I remember wondering in my childhood why it was called jackfruit in the first place. It is only in the South that everyone eats the fruit and it is difficult to find raw, completely grown jackfruit for the sabzi. I hope you enjoy it.
shilpaagarg says
You know, the ripe jackfruit (to be eaten as fruit) is rarely seen in North, unlike South India. Here we use it only for making kathal ki sabzi. Must try this out, looks great!
Rachna says
True, Shilpa! I remember wondering in my childhood why it was called jackfruit in the first place. It is only in the South that everyone eats the fruit and it is difficult to find raw, completely grown jackfruit for the sabzi. I hope you enjoy it.
Bhagyashree says
What a coincidence. I am making this and I see ur post. This pulao is my favorite
Rachna says
Ah, now that is so interesting! Do you make yours similarly?
Bhagyashree says
Mine is more like a biryani sans onion garlic.
Rachna says
Interesting. Do share your recipe.
Bhagyashree says
What a coincidence. I am making this and I see ur post. This pulao is my favorite
Rachna says
Ah, now that is so interesting! Do you make yours similarly?
Bhagyashree says
Mine is more like a biryani sans onion garlic.
Rachna says
Interesting. Do share your recipe.
reekycoleslaw says
Love the pics!
Rachna says
Thanks :-D!
reekycoleslaw says
Love the pics!
Rachna says
Thanks :-D!
nabanita says
I'm so hungry after reading this... I always loved kathal ki sabzi... but I never attempted to make it as I can't chop it and S is too lazy to help!
Rachna says
Arre make him help. He is from UP na. Didn't he have it at home? Wish I could have fed you what was cooked. I made a large batch :).
nabanita says
I'm so hungry after reading this... I always loved kathal ki sabzi... but I never attempted to make it as I can't chop it and S is too lazy to help!
Rachna says
Arre make him help. He is from UP na. Didn't he have it at home? Wish I could have fed you what was cooked. I made a large batch :).
dNambiar says
I'm thinking I'll like this. Didn't know this part of the Jack-fruit was used in dishes. We Mals make side dishes out of the unripe fruit and also make curries with Jackfruit seeds.
Rachna says
Yep, indeed this is quite a favorite in the North of India. I love jackfruit seeds a lot.
dNambiar says
I'm thinking I'll like this. Didn't know this part of the Jack-fruit was used in dishes. We Mals make side dishes out of the unripe fruit and also make curries with Jackfruit seeds.
Rachna says
Yep, indeed this is quite a favorite in the North of India. I love jackfruit seeds a lot.
Tanya says
beautiful! I make Jackfruit Tacos out of green Jackfruit. It shreds and resemble meat in texture (for ones that need that) .
Tanya says
beautiful! I make Jackfruit Tacos out of green Jackfruit. It shreds and resemble meat in texture (for ones that need that) .