Kobi Phannas

Raw jackfruit curry — young green jackfruit cut into chunks, pressure-cooked until tender, and simmered in a freshly ground coconut-red chilli-coriander masala with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida in coconut oil. The jackfruit absorbs the coconut masala completely during cooking and develops a meaty, substantial texture; in Saraswat vegetarian meals it functions as the main protein equivalent. Made during the summer months when raw jackfruit is abundantly available along the Konkan coast; 'kobi' is jackfruit and 'phannas' refers to the jackfruit tree in Konkani. One of the most important vegetarian preparations in the Saraswat Brahmin kitchen alongside pathrode.