Kathal ka Salan

1. 1
   prep

   Prepare the jackfruit.

   1.Applying oil on your hands and knife, peel the thick green skin off the raw jackfruit and cut into 1.5-inch chunks, removing the hard central core.

   2.Rub the chunks with a pinch of turmeric and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

   TIPOil your hands and knife generously — jackfruit releases a sticky latex sap that is hard to wash off.
2. 2
   fry · ~15 min

   Shallow fry the jackfruit.

   1.Heat 0.75 cup oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.

   2.Fry the jackfruit chunks in batches until golden brown and slightly crisp on the edges (5-7 minutes per batch).

   3.Drain on paper towels and set aside.

   TIPDon't overcrowd the pan — fry in 2-3 batches so the pieces crisp up evenly instead of steaming.
3. 3
   fry · ~12 min

   Fry the onions until deep golden.

   1.In the same pan, remove excess oil leaving about 2 tbsp.

   2.Add the sliced onions and fry over medium heat until deep golden brown (10-12 minutes), stirring frequently.

   TIPTake your time here — deeply browned onions are the backbone of this salan's flavor.
4. 4
   roast · ~5 min

   Roast and grind the nut paste.

   1.In a small pan, dry roast peanuts until aromatic and lightly browned (2 minutes). Remove and set aside.

   2.In the same pan, dry roast sesame seeds until they pop and turn golden (1 minute). Remove.

   3.Dry roast desiccated coconut until light golden (30-45 seconds). Remove immediately to prevent burning.

   4.Grind peanuts, sesame seeds, and coconut together with 3-4 tbsp water into a smooth, thick paste.

   TIPKeep the pan moving when roasting coconut — it burns in seconds and turns bitter.
5. 5
   saute · ~10 min

   Build the gravy base.

   1.Add ginger-garlic paste to the browned onions and sauté until the raw aroma disappears (1 minute).

   2.Add chopped tomatoes and slit green chilies. Cook until tomatoes turn soft and mushy (4-5 minutes).

   3.Add red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin seeds. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.

   4.Lower the heat and add whisked yogurt, stirring continuously to prevent curdling. Cook until oil separates (3-4 minutes).

   TIPKeep the heat low when adding yogurt and stir non-stop — high heat will make it split and ruin the texture.
6. 6
   simmer · ~20 min

   Cook the salan.

   1.Add the ground nut-sesame-coconut paste to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring well.

   2.Add 2 cups of water and the remaining salt. Stir and bring to a gentle boil.

   3.Add the fried jackfruit pieces and tamarind pulp. Mix gently to coat.

   4.Cover the pan and simmer on low heat for 15-18 minutes until the gravy thickens and the jackfruit absorbs the flavors.

   TIPThe salan thickens as the nut paste cooks down — stir once midway to prevent sticking at the bottom.
7. 7
   garnish

   Finish and serve.

   1.Sprinkle garam masala over the top, gently fold once, and turn off the heat.

   2.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Let the salan rest 5 minutes before serving.

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