JACKFRUIT CURRY & NUGGETS: THE VEGAN FAVOURITES

IN RECENT TIMES, jackfruit has taken the vegan world by storm. The Brits call it “the new kimchi, kale, and cauliflower all rolled into one.” What has made this large tree-borne fruit from Asia so popular is its mild, starchy, meaty texture that makes it an efficient meat substitute.

Although it’s native to South India, jackfruit takes on different guises in Lankan cooking. From curries to nuggets, this exotic tropical fruit is consumed in many ways. Of all the jackfruit dishes I tasted across central and western Sri Lanka, the ones I enjoyed the most were at

Raja Bojun (rajabojun.lk) in Colombo. Located in the Liberty Arcade shopping mall, Raja Bojun is an airy, high-ceilinged restaurant accoutred in ethnic tapestries, life-sized elephant murals, and traditional wood wagons.

Amid a large buffet of authentic Sri Lankan specialities, the jackfruit curry at Raja Bojun instantly wooed me with its aroma. Lankan chefs cook jackfruit chunks with coconut milk, lime juice, hot spices, and water until each piece of the fruit soaks up the spice extracts. The creamy curry is garnished with fried onions, and served with spicy veggies and boiled rice on the side. The fruit also makes an appearance in the appetisers. Jackfruit nuggets are firm yet moist, with a spongy consistency and mild flavour. At Raja Bojun, jackfruit nuggets are crisp, yet, beneath the crust, they retain the moist texture of the fruit. Try them with one of the spicy Lankan dips.

From far left: Jackfruit curry is cooked in coconut milk; jackfruit nuggets are crisp on the outside but retain the moist texture of the fruit inside.