Jackfruit Seed Dal: A Nutty Bengali Comfort Recipe

Jackfruit seed dal is one of those recipes that says a lot about how Bengali kitchens have always worked – nothing goes to waste if you can help it. Long before ‘zero-waste cooking’ became a hashtag, this was just how things were done. The soft, ripe bulbs of the jackfruit got eaten fresh or made into something sweet, while unripe jackfruit was turned into a vegetable dish, the leaves were used as plates or for steaming and the smooth, glossy seeds, kathaler bichi, as they’re called, would be dried out, peeled, and cooked down into curries, dals, ghontos, whatever the day called for. This is really a rural Bengal dish at heart, tied to summer, when jackfruit trees would just be loaded with fruit, much more than any one family could eat fresh. So people dried the seeds in the sun and kept them around for weeks, sometimes months- a steady source of protein and starch sitting in storage long after the season had passed.

There’s a harder history here too. During the 1943 Bengal famine, and other lean years before and after, people leaned on whatever they could find close to home. Jackfruit seeds weren’t ever the famine food -nothing that specific -but they helped. They came from a tree in the backyard, cost nothing, and could be added to a pot of dal or rice to make a meal go further for a big family. And because dried seeds kept so well, they were there exactly when you needed them most.

The dal itself uses just a few ingredients-mustard oil, a few whole spices, some ginger -enough to let the seeds do the talking. You get this creamy, nutty quality once cooked that honestly needs very little dressing up @sarchakra

PREP TIME: 20 mins

COOK TIME: 25 mins

SERVES: 6

Ingredients

Jackfruit seeds (about 20 whole jackfruit seeds, cleaned and prepared)
Mustard oil 2 tbsp
Dried red chili 1, broken
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Whole cumin seeds 1 tsp
Bay leaf 1
Ginger paste 2 tsp
Salt, to taste
Water, as needed

Method

Wash the jackfruit seeds thoroughly and dry them completely.
Cut each seed in half and remove the thin white membrane covering the inside.
Place the seeds in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover them. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Once cool enough to handle, lightly mash each seed with a potato masher and peel away the brown outer skin. Set the peeled seeds with the liquid aside.
Heat the mustard oil in a pan until it reaches its smoking point, then lower the heat slightly.
Add the broken dried red chili, mustard seeds, whole cumin seeds, and bay leaf. Let the spices splutter until fragrant.
Add the cooked jackfruit seeds along with the cooking liquid (or enough water to achieve your preferred consistency). Bring the dal to a gentle boil.
Stir in the ginger paste and salt. If the dal is too thick, add a little more water.
Simmer for another 2 to 3 mins so the ginger loses its raw taste and the flavors meld together.
Serve hot with steamed rice and a drizzle of mustard oil, if you like.

Notes

Once cooked, the seeds becomes creamy and buttery, somewhere between chestnuts and potatoes in texture.

Remember to peel the cooked seeds- it gives the dal a smoother texture.

Mustard oil adds the characteristic Bengali flavor, but you can substitute with neutral oil.

The dal will thicken as it sits, so loosen it with a splash of hot water before serving if needed.

Serve this with steamed rice, a squeeze of lime or a simple vegetable side.

If you love traditional Bengali cooking, try Kumro Saag Chhochori (Pumpkin Greens with Vegetables), Bori Diye Bandhakophi and Cholar Dal (Bengali Chana Dal)

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