Enchorer Shammi Kabab (Green Jackfruit Kabobs)

I have been thinking about making something different out of green jackfruit than the usual curry. I remember, last time when I was in India, we had this nice lunch at “Oh! Calcutta” and one of the things that I ordered was “mochar shammi kabab”. That dish, in a way, was my inspiration to make enchorer shammi kabab.

Now if you want, you can even have a taste of this. That is, without actually making it yourself. Did you say “how?”

Please visit the “Char-Murti” food stall at the Anandamela 2010 by Bay area Prabashi on 26th June, 2010 and this is one of the items in the menu. So please come by and have a taste of this along with other typical Kolkata street food like egg-rolls, chicken rolls and Bengali traditional sweets like pathishapta, kanchagolla and more…For more information, please visit:
http://prabasi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=62

Ingredients:

• Enchor (Green Jackfruit) – 1 can (280 gram)
• Potatoes – 1 large or 2 medium
• Onion paste – 1 medium onion
• Garlic paste – 1 ½ tsp
• Ginger paste – 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1 ½ tsp
• Chaat masala – 2 tsp
• Ajwain powder – 1 tsp
• Raisins – ¼ cup
• Chana daal – ¼ cup
• Bread crumb – 1/3 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying the kababs

Method:
• Soak the chana daal overnight.
• Boil the jackfruit along with the potatoes till they are done.
• Mash them with the help of a masher or any other tool.
• Drain the chana daal and grind it to a fine paste with least possible amount of water.
• Heat a little oil (about a tablespoon) in a deep vessel and add the onion, ginger and garlic to it.
• Fry till water evaporates.
• Add the mashed jackfruit and potatoes to it. Mix it really well.
• Add the rest of the spices and raisins and continue to stir.
• Add the chana daal paste and continue mixing till it starts forming a dough-like shape.
• Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down a little.
• While the mixture is still a little warm, add the bread crumbs and knead well.

• Make little round balls from the mixture and flatten them a little to shape like kababs.
• Deep fry the kababs in another vessel and serve it with the sauce or ketchup of your choice. I’d love mine with green chilli sauce or coriander chutney.

Notes:
In case of canned green jackfruit, if the can says “in Brine,” the green jackfruit tends to have a sour taste. In order to remove that sour bias, wash the green jackfruit pieces thoroughly and then soak them in a light sugar-water mixture for 6 – 8 hours.