Keerla Kayirasa

Jackfruit seed curry — large jackfruit seeds (keerla/halasina beeja) boiled until the tough outer skin can be removed, revealing the slippery, white, dense seed inside; the cooked seeds are simmered in a freshly ground masala of roasted dried red chilli, coriander seeds, and fresh coconut combined with tamarind extract until the seeds absorb the spiced sauce. The jackfruit seed has a starchy, potato-like texture when cooked and a mild, nutty flavour; it holds its shape in the curry and absorbs the coconut-tamarind sauce without breaking. A zero-waste preparation specific to coastal Karnataka and Kerala: every part of the jackfruit is used — the ripe fruit as dessert, the raw fruit as vegetable, and the seeds as a curry ingredient. Eaten with rice as a protein-rich curry; particular to households in coastal Karnataka where jackfruit trees grow in the courtyard.