Gujje Kebab and Gujje '65

Jack Fruit grows almost 6 months a year in different parts of India and is found in abundance in the coastal and interior areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Goa. Gujje is Raw Jack Fruit in Mangalorean language. We GSBs call it Kadgi and Keralites call it Chakka. In North India it is famous as Kathal. There are two kinds of jack fruits mainly, 'Barke' and 'Tuluva'. Raw Tuluva jack fruit is preferable to make deep fried podis and kebabs because it is more fleshy and less fibrous. However, some varieties of Barke can also be selected. Raw jack fruit should be fresh and firm to make fried snacks.

Gujje Kebab was popularised by some of the local restaurants and podi joints in the late Nineties. I first tasted it at Hotel Ayodhya(Rama Bhavan) and also at Balli's Podi Joint in Mangalore. Then some others too followed the trend and today Gujje Kebab is as popular as Chicken Kebab.

We had a raw jack fruit given by a friend and he asked me what special can I prepare with it on Garam Tawa. He also gave me a hint that he does not prefer typical GSB preparations with it. Hence I told him, I will make Gujje '65!

Now very recently we made chicken '65 and that was a super hit. So, I decided to follow the same formula to make gujje '65. However, the flavour and texture of gujje and chicken differ a lot. Thus I made slight changes in the ingredients, but what I made was highly appreciated by my friend Dr Sai Griridhar Kamath and our family friend Uma Shenoi. They said, it was very crisp, spicy, coating was well balanced and perfectly fried.

So what are you guys waiting for? Go to the local market, get a fresh raw jack fruit and make Gujje Kebab or '65. If you fry the kebabs along with green chilli bits and curry leaves, that becomes '65. Otherwise you can just serve them plain kebabs with a lemon wedge. This can be a good starter dish with cocktail or mocktail, or you can have this as a fried dish along with rice and curry.

Ingredients:
Raw Jack Fruit(Gujje/Kadgi) - Around 750 Gm(gross weight)
Lemon - 1/2
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Salt - 3/4 Tsp or to taste
Red Chilli Powder - 1 and 1/2 Tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 and 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Garam masala Powder - 3/4 Tsp
Caraway Seeds(Oama/Ajwain) - A pinch
Plain Yogurt - 1 Tbsp
Corn Starch - 4 Tsp
Rice Powder - 2 Tsp
Refined Flour - 2 Tsp
Green Chillies - 6-8 cut into two diagonally
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Refined Vegetable Oil - For deep frying

Method:

Gujje Kebab:
Wash the raw jack fruit thoroughly under running water to get rid of any mud or impurities.
Apply a thin film of coconut oil on your hands while cleaning the jack fruit, as it contains sticky gum.
Shave off the external thick spiky skin of the jack fruit with a sharp knife.
Cut the jack fruit into two width-wise and then into four each lengthwise.
Cut and remove the center core.
Slice the jack fruit into 1/2" thick pieces and drop them in a bowl filled with cold water.
Drain the water and apply salt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, all the masala powders, and then mix in plain yogurt.
Keep aside for 30 minutes to one hour for marination.
Add all the three flours and mix well, adding very little water if necessary.
The coating should be gummy, not very dry, not too watery.
Heat oil in a thick kadai.
As the oil starts to fume, reduce the flame to medium and drop 4-6 gujje slices at a time into the hot oil.
Fry for about 5 mins minutes on both the sides, taking care not to char the kebabs.
Collect the kebabs with a perforated ladle and allow excess oil to drain.
Transfer to a colander lined with kitchen paper to absorb remaining oil.
Gujje kebab is ready.
You can serve hot gujje kebab with a lemon wedge or continue to make gujje '65.

Gujje '65:
In the same oil, add 4-6 green chilli bits and few curry leaves, followed by 4-6 pieces of the once fried kebabs.
When green chillies turn whitish and crisp, remove the kebabs along with the fried chillies and curry leaves and serve hot with lemon wedge.