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Breadfruit curry(Sri Lankan del curry).

A breadfruit recipe made with Sri Lankan curry powders and coconut milk with a tempering that gives this vegan curry amazing flavours.
If you enjoyed the taste of Sri Lankan jackfruit curry.
Then a pot of breadfruit curry is just the type of dish you’ll want to try cooking.

In this Sri Lankan recipe, you will learn how to cook breadfruit(del curry)full of flavour and just the right amount of spices to make the dish thoroughly enjoyable.

What is breadfruit or del?

Breadfruit is a starchy, slightly oval-shaped fruit that roughly fits into the palm of your hand.

The fruit doesn’t have any seed but has a rigid core just like the jackfruit but unlike a jackfruit, the breadfruit is easier to clean and prepare for cooking.

There are a few ways to prepare this fruit, the most popular way of eating the breadfruit is to make them into a curry or turn it into chips.

Try it for breakfast…

The simplest way to prepare breadfruit is to boil with salt until they are tender and serve them with freshly scraped coconut and a lunumiris sambol.

It’s the easiest Sri Lankan breakfast you’ll prepare.

Sri Lankan breadfruit curry(vegetarian, Vegan)-  a delicious curry cooked in Sri Lankan curry powder and coconut milk, it's a milky curry that just needs to be tried, to understand why it's such a popular and memorable dish.

Similarities between breadfruit and jackfruit.

They slightly follow the same method of cooking if you are making them into a curry.
They both have that starchy quality and can be cooked when they are still green(raw).

Tastewise there’s definitely a difference.

Subtle but different and the only way to find out is to cook these dishes.

I promise the only difficulty is cleaning up the fruit to be cooked.
And I will be adding a step-by-step guide on how to cut breadfruit to this recipe as well.

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Sri Lankan breadfruit curry(vegetarian, Vegan)-  a delicious curry cooked in Sri Lankan curry powder and coconut milk, it's a milky curry that just needs to be tried, to understand why it's such a popular and memorable dish. #breadfruit #delcurry #srilankan #slowcooked #vegan #vegetarian #how-to

How does breadfruit taste?

I’m sure most Sri Lankans are familiar with the taste of breadfruit but for the readers who are not familiar with the fruit, this is for you.

If you asked me to describe the flavour of breadfruit, the first word that comes to my mind is starchy but if you’ve ever eaten this Sri Lankan breadfruit curry, you’ll know there’s more than a starchy quality to the fruit.

In this breadfruit curry recipe, the combination of the breadfruit, spices, coconut milk and spices in which the curry is cooked, makes the breadfruit curry creamy and richer in its taste.
And the final touch of tempering added to the del curry brings everything together.

Sri Lankan breadfruit curry(vegetarian, Vegan)

What to serve with coconut milk.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: BREADFRUIT CURRY
  • Can I use canned breadfruit?
    • If you can find the canned version, yes. 
    • Just remember to reduce the amount of water you use.
  • Where can I find breadfruit?
    • You can find them in most Asian stores or a Sri Lankan store in your area. these are seasonal so if you can’t find any breadfruit use the canned version.

Utensils and appliances needed.

To prepare the breadfruit for cooking
You will need a cutting board, a sharp knife, some paper towels to wipe off the sap and easy access to a wastebasket.

To cook and temper the breadfruit
You will need a medium-sized cooking pot and a small frying pan(thaachi)to temper the final ingredients.

More breadfruit recipes.

More Sri Lankan vegetarian curries.

RECIPE DIFFICULTY-LITTLE CARE IS NEEDED

How to cook breadfruit curry(Sri Lankan del curry)

The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.

Ingredients to cook breadfruit curry

1 breadfruit(cleaned and cut as per instruction given below)

2 and 1/2 cups of water
2 teaspoons of curry powder(unroasted)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon fenugreek seed
1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 tablespoon minced garlic(3-4 cloves)
A sprig of curry leaves(substitute with a bay leaf)
1 large onion sliced
1 cup thick milk(1/2 cup more if you want more gravy)

for tempering

4-5 curry leaves
A piece of pandan leaf(optional)
1 large onion sliced
3 whole red dried chillies(you can substitute red chilli flakes)
1 teaspoon of mustard seed

Method

How to cut breadfruit(del).

  • Slice off the top of the breadfruit which would have a stem as well as the bottom(just like you’ll cut off the bottom and top of a carrot or cucumber).  
  • Gently cut off the green skin of the breadfruit till the white part of the fruit is exposed.  
  • Have some paper towels ready to wipe off any milk oozing from the fruit.
  • Cut the breadfruit in half, and then into four(again, stem to bottom, lengthwise).
  • You’ll notice the thick core of the fruit in the middle of the slices. 
  • Cut the core and then you can slice the remaining breadfruit into 1 and 1/2 inch cubes. 
Cooking the breadfruit curry.

Clean, cut, and have the breadfruit ready for cooking(see notes on how to clean breadfruit).

Add the breadfruit to a medium-large pan.

Pour in water just enough to cover the breadfruit.

To the same pan, add curry leaves, fenugreek, minced garlic, turmeric, chilli powder, pepper powder, onions and salt to season.

Use a spoon to combine all the ingredients and switch on the stove to medium heat.

Let the breadfruit curry cook for 15-25 minutes until or until the breadfruit becomes tender(use a fork to check on how soft they have turned).

Once the chunks are tender, pour in the coconut milk, depending on how much gravy you need it will be 1 cup or another extra 1/2 cup.

Cook on low fire with lid on for 10 minutes until gravy thickens(maintain low heat while the lid is on or the gravy might spillover).

Slowly simmer the breadfruit curry until gravy is thick, check if there is adequate salt while the curry cooks

Once the breadfruit reaches a thick consistency switch off the stove and prepares the tempering as mentioned below.

Tempering

In a small thaachi(a type of small frying pan, use your usual small frying pan for this purpose).

Place the pan over a low fire.

Add 4-5 tablespoons of oil, followed by curry leaves, pandan leaf, and sliced onion.

let them cook until they turn translucent and slightly golden, followed by whole red dry chillies, and mustard(add the tempering ingredients in the order given).

Temper until all ingredients turn slightly golden without burning them, less than 3 minutes.

Once the tempering is done, pour the tempering over the breadfruit curry and mix.

Serve warm with rice and curry.

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Sri Lankan breadfruit curry(vegetarian, Vegan)-  a delicious curry cooked in Sri Lankan curry powder and coconut milk, it's a milky curry that just needs to be tried, to understand why it's such a popular and memorable dish.

Sri Lankan breadfruit(del curry).

Yield: 5
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

A breadfruit recipe made with Sri Lankan curry powders and coconut milk with a tempering that gives this vegan curry amazing flavours.

If you enjoyed the taste of Sri Lankan jackfruit curry.

Then a pot of breadfruit curry is just the type of dish you’ll want to try cooking.

Ingredients

  • Ingredients to cook breadfruit curry
  • 1 breadfruit(cleaned and cut as per instruction given below)
  • 2 and 1/2 cups of water
  • 2 teaspoons of curry powder(unroasted)
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seed
  • 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic(3-4 cloves)
  • A sprig of curry leaves(substitute with a bay leaf)
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 1 cup thick coconut milk(1/2 cup more if you want more gravy)
  • FOR TEMPRING
  • 4-5 curry leaves
  • A piece of pandan leaf(optional)
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 3 whole red dried chillies(you can substitute red chilli flakes)
  • 1 teaspoon of mustard seed

Instructions

    How to cut breadfruit(del).

    1. Slice off the top of the breadfruit which would have a stem as well as the bottom(just like you’ll cut off the bottom and top of a carrot or cucumber).  
    2. Gently cut off the green skin of the breadfruit till the white part of the fruit is exposed.  
    3. Have some paper towels ready to wipe off any milk oozing from the fruit.
    4. Cut the breadfruit in half, and then into four(again, stem to bottom, lengthwise).
    5. You’ll notice the thick core of the fruit in the middle of the slices. 
    6. Cut the core and then you can slice the remaining breadfruit into 1 and 1/2 inch cubes. 

    How to cut breadfruit(del).

    1. Slice off the top of the breadfruit which would have a stem as well as the bottom(just like you’ll cut off the bottom and top of a carrot or cucumber).  
    2. Gently cut off the green skin of the breadfruit till the white part of the fruit is exposed.  
    3. Have some paper towels ready to wipe off any milk oozing from the fruit.
    4. Cut the breadfruit in half, and then into four(again, stem to bottom, lengthwise).
    5. You’ll notice the thick core of the fruit in the middle of the slices. 
    6. Cut the core and then you can slice the remaining breadfruit into 1 and 1/2 inch cubes. 
    7. To the same pan, add curry leaves, fenugreek, minced garlic, turmeric, chilli powder, pepper powder, onions and salt to season.
    8. Use a spoon to combine all the ingredients and switch on the stove to medium heat.
    9. Let the breadfruit curry cook for 15-25 minutes until or until the breadfruit becomes tender(use a fork to check on how soft they have turned).
    10. Once the chunks are tender, pour in the coconut milk, depending on how much gravy you need it will be 1 cup or another extra 1/2 cup.
    11. Once the chunks are tender, pour in the coconut milk, depending on how much gravy you need it will be 1 cup or another extra 1/2 cup.
    12. Once the breadfruit reaches a thick consistency switch off the stove and prepares the tempering as mentioned below.

    Tempering

    1. In a small thaachi(a type of small frying pan, use your usual small frying pan for this purpose).
    2. Place the pan over a low fire.
    3. Add 4-5 tablespoons of oil, followed by curry leaves, pandan leaf, and sliced onion.
    4. let them cook until they turn translucent and slightly golden, followed by whole red dry chillies, and mustard(add the tempering ingredients in the order given).
    5. Temper until all ingredients turn slightly golden without burning them, less than 3 minutes.
    6. Once the tempering is done, pour the tempering over the breadfruit curry and mix.
    7. Serve warm with rice and curry.

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    Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 75mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 8gSugar: 19gProtein: 12g

    Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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    Pat

    Sunday 5th of November 2023

    Tried this recipe a couple of times,but I use tinned breadfruit. It’s very tasty Thanks

    David Kearnes

    Thursday 14th of September 2023

    Twice in this recipe you said use milk but once you said coconut milk. I suspect it is coconut milk you want but may want to edit article to avoid confusion.

    jehan

    Thursday 14th of September 2023

    Hi David yes you are correct. thank you for pointing out the mistake. will edit the recipe post. also I refer to the sap of the bread fruit as milk too, maybe that is where the confusion is? regards J

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