Polos Curry

Dini Kodippili identifies polos as young, green jackfruit used as a vegetable in Sri Lanka. Her selected Polos Curry uses canned young jackfruit, rather than ripe sweet fruit.

Her linked own roasted curry powder is prepared from coriander, cumin, black pepper, basmati rice, green cardamom seeds, fennel, cloves and the selected optional black mustard and curry leaves. The full batch is prepared separately; the curry uses its required portion.

Coconut oil softens onion, followed by minced garlic and ginger. Fresh curry leaves and pandan briefly fry before the spice blend, cayenne, turmeric, black pepper and a cinnamon stick are sautéed.

Tamarind concentrate, sea salt, sugar, drained and rinsed young jackfruit and the selected optional coconut pieces are mixed into the spice base. Water and full-fat coconut milk are added before the curry boils and simmers gently with the lid slightly off.

The jackfruit braises until soft and yielding. More of the same water can loosen the gravy, or a brief uncovered finish can thicken it; the same salt is adjusted to taste. The selected curry is served warm with rice, with a creamy, slightly sour gravy and coconut pieces for contrast.