Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run
Gather everything first, then follow the steps
Vegetables· 3
- 160 g young jackfruit (chunks)160g
- 6 g garlic (minced)6g
- 1 lemongrass stalk (bruised)6g
Sauces· 2
- 10 g chili paste (cili boh)10g
- 40 g lite coconut milk40g
Spices· 3
- 2 g turmeric powder2g
- 1 kaffir lime leaf(optional)1g
- pinch of salt(staple)2g
Fats & oils· 1
- 5 g cooking oil (1 tsp)5g
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pot and sauté the garlic, bruised lemongrass and turmeric over medium heat for about 1 min until fragrant.
Why? Blooming turmeric and lemongrass in oil first releases their aroma compounds — this sets the curry's base flavour, and 1 tsp of oil is plenty; no need for the heavy oil of the old method.Next up:Add the chili paste and fry 1 min until the oil reddens, then add the young jackfruit chunks and toss to coat them in the spices.
Add the chili paste and fry 1 min until the oil reddens, then add the young jackfruit chunks and toss to coat them in the spices.
Why? Young jackfruit has coarse, meat-like fibres; searing it first lets it soak up the spices, so the finished strands stand in for meat and keep you full.Next up:Pour in about 150 ml water, add the kaffir lime leaf and a pinch of salt, cover and simmer over low heat for 12 min until the jackfruit is tender.
- 12 min · hands-free
Pour in about 150 ml water, add the kaffir lime leaf and a pinch of salt, cover and simmer over low heat for 12 min until the jackfruit is tender.
Why? Simmering covered traps the steam so it circulates evenly, softening the jackfruit's coarse fibres enough for a fork to slide in within 12 min — uncovered, water evaporates faster and it actually takes longer while cooking unevenly.Watch out: Under-cooked young jackfruit stays tough and astringent — simmer until a fork slides in easily.12:00Next up:Finally stir in the lite coconut milk, mix gently, simmer 1–2 min more, then turn off the heat. Serve with half a bowl of brown rice.
Finally stir in the lite coconut milk, mix gently, simmer 1–2 min more, then turn off the heat. Serve with half a bowl of brown rice.
Why? Adding coconut milk last, and only a small measure of the lite kind, gives creaminess with little fat — the original leans on lots of thick santan, adding hundreds of kcal a serving.Tip: Don't boil hard after the coconut milk goes in — high heat splits it and makes the gravy grainy.