Idichakka Thoran

Recipe For Vishu Festival: Tender Jackfruit Stir-Fry From Kerala

Idichakka thoran recipe is one of Kerala's most celebrated seasonal dishes made specially for the Vishu festival. The dish is a dry stir-fry made with tender young jackfruit, known as idichakka in Malayalam. The name itself tells you how the dish is made: ‘idichakka’ means ‘beaten or crushed jackfruit’, referring to the traditional method of pounding the pressure-cooked jackfruit in a mortar and pestle until the fibres separate into a rough, textured shred before mixing with the coconut masala. The spiced coconut mixture is the heart of the idichakka thoran recipe, made with fresh, grated coconut coarsely ground with green chillies, cumin, shallots, garlic, and turmeric, kept chunky enough to coat the jackfruit rather than saucing it. This special dish for Vishu festival also entails a tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida, and curry leaves in coconut oil, which adds the fragrant, aromatic layer that signals this as a Kerala dish. Fresh tender jackfruit gives the best result for this thoran recipe, but canned young jackfruit (drained and rinsed thoroughly) is a good substitute and is widely available at grocery stores year-round. Either way, idichakka thoran, made for the Vishu festival, is a high-fibre, naturally vegan side dish that pairs with steamed rice and sambar.