Jackfruit Pickle | Kathal ka Achaar

One of the tastiest Bihari pickles, soft chunks of Jackfruit blended in rich spices and mustard oil. The right balance of spicy and tangy. Made by steaming the Jackfruit before sun-drying.

Ingredients used in this Jackfruit Pickle,

include Jackfruit, Mustard Oil, Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin, Nigella Seeds, Carom Seeds, Fenugreek, Fennel Seeds, Yellow Mustard, Black Mustard, Asafoetida, Aamchoor, Black Salt, Salt.

How We Prepare Jackfruit Pickle:

The Kathal used for pickling at JhaJi Store is sourced from local areas in Darbhanga and Samastipur, where farmers have been cultivating them for decades. We believe in supporting local farmers and ensuring the quality of our ingredients.

To provide you with a glimpse into the process, we interviewed one of the farmers in the region. Here's a brief summary of the conversation:

" Typically, when the Kathal weighs around 3 to 4 kilograms, we bring it to the factory. As you can see here, the farmers are continuously growing Kathal and supplying it to us. We conducted an interview with one of the farmers, and you can find it below."

The preparation process begins early in the morning when the jackfruit arrives at our kitchen factory from the farm. 

Upon the jackfruit's arrival, the first step is to sort the Kathal based on their age and size. We specifically choose raw jackfruits that weigh between 3 to 4 kilograms for pickling. Ripe jackfruits have a tendency to ripen further, become sweeter, turn yellow in color, and develop larger seeds. Their texture also becomes chewier rather than remaining soft.

Spices are mostly sourced locally from farmers and bazar samitis in Samastipur. We buy whole spices and clean, roast, and ground them in our kitchen factory.

Mustard Oil is brought in from Rajasthan. We test it regularly for purity and quality.

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RECIPE: The Process of Preparation

Starts with the Kathal arriving early at 6 AM from the farms to our kitchen factory. They were mostly plucked last evening.

Step 1: Cutting & Steaming the Jackfruit

• Begin by cutting the jackfruit into small pieces.
• Steam the jackfruit pieces to soften them

Step 2: Preparing the Marination

• Transfer the steamed jackfruit pieces to a vessel. We typically make pickles in 30 kg batches.
• Add 1 kg of salt, along with some turmeric, to the jackfruit.
• Allow the mixture to marinate for 28 to 48 hours. During this marination period, avoid touching or stirring the jackfruit.

Step 3: Adding the Spice Mixture

• Once 12 to 48 hours have passed after the jackfruit has been steamed and marinated, it's time to add the spices and mustard oil.
• Prepare a spice mixture in advance by combining a variety of spices such as turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin, nigella seeds, carom seeds, fenugreek, fennel seeds, yellow mustard, black mustard, asafoetida, amchoor, black salt, and regular salt in calculated proportions.
• Add the spice mixture to the vessel containing the marinated jackfruit.
• Pour in mustard oil and thoroughly stir and mix the entire mixture.

Step 4: Sun Drying the Pickle

• At this stage, the pickle is still not ready to eat. It requires a minimum of 10 days of sun drying.
• Place the vessel with the jackfruit pickle in a sunny area and allow it to dry for at least 10 days.
• Sun drying helps the jackfruit to further soften, allowing the flavors of the spices to meld together, resulting in a unique, traditional taste.

Step 5: Serving and Storing the Pickle

• After sun drying the jackfruit pickle is ready to be served.
• Store the pickle in airtight containers called "Martabans."
• The pickles are shipped to customers as per their orders.

Jackfruit Pickle with Khichdi

Kathal Pickle holds a special place in the hearts of the people in Mithilanchal, who relish its authentic taste and savor it with various dishes, including local favorites like poori, paratha, and dal-chawal.

Jackfruit Pickle or Kathal ka Achaar is sold as part of New Launch and All Pickle Collection on JhaJi Store.