Jackfruit, locally called Fanas, is native to the coastal Kokan region of western India, although it is also grown sometimes in the plains. Although I am personally biased towards the ripe jackfruit variety that ripens "al dente" or "kapa" as we call it, there is an entire cuisine developed around the raw variety of the fruit.
Turns out that the raw fruit when cooked often fools gung ho non vegetarians into thinking they are eating meat.
My friend Shruti Nargundkar of Melbourne who has what I call a food memories and photo blog recently posted an amazing post about "Kathal Biryani" or Jackfruit Biryani" which is a fragrant spicy rice preparation. Please read about it here.
For those who associate with middle class Kokan personality traits handed down across the generations, stubbornness, willfulness, sticking-to-principles-come-what-may etc , Sir Fanas will not disappoint.
Kokan demands, that the poem be in Marathi. The Queen's version follows.
ताई काकू, माई आणि दादांच्या घरी
मोठे झालेले, आमराईतल्या गर्विष्ठ अम्बेलोकात वाढलेले साधे पण ओबडधोबड फणस खोत , अचानक लहानपणीच देशावर जायला निघतात काय , "थांब थांब, कापा हो, " असं विनवणार्या आजी लोकांना न जुमानता , आपले भारदस्त धूड सांभाळत सातासमुद्रापलीकडे पोचतात काय , आणि सौदर्याच्या उधळणीत आपले साधे, प्रखर शाकाहारी काटेरी विचार सर्वांसमोर ठेउन एक वेगळाच स्थान निर्माण करतात काय ! आणि मग मास मछराञ्च्या नाकावर टिच्चून , थोडा तैल मसाज, मन घट्ट करून काटेरी पूर्वायुश्यातून बाहेर . नवीन जगात बटाटे लोकांशी संवाद, आणि घरच्यांची आठवण काढत भाज्यांशी मिसळ्ण, इलैचिबै, जीराबेन, शाहजीरेराव, कांदासिंग आणि बेगम लसूण यांच्या मैफलीत रमून जाण , काजुपुत्राञ्च्याकडे कौतुकाने बघत दह्यात कोथिम्बीर पुदिन्यात विहार्ण , आणि हे स्वप्न संपताच , कोकणच्या आठवणी काढत काढत शुभ्र भातावर रेलून दूध, केशर , केवडा आणि तुपाचा आस्वाद घेणं … फणस खोत आयुष्यात खूप शिकलेत , प्रवासातल्या अनुभवांनी श्रीमंत झालेत, पण पुढे काय वाढून ठेवले आहे माहित असून सुद्धा गतआयुश्याला स्मरून , ताई काकू, माई आणि दादांच्या स्मृतीस अभीवादन करून गोंधळलेल्या मांसाहारी मंडळींना सामोरे जातात …। |
Growing up tough in the Kokan amidst Tai Kaku, Mai and Dada, unwieldy and amorphous amidst narcissistic Alphonsos, it puzzles as to how Sir Fanas of Jackfruit decides to go out into the world, despite the desperate pleas of those who wish he would stay and turn al dente in time. Respectfully refusing grandmas, skillfully managing a huge thorny life, he travels across the oceans in the face of dainty killing beauty standards, and creates a special , albeit thorny, but no nonsense vegetarian place for himself. An oil massage to tease all the marination crazy meats, a smooth but difficult emergence from a thorny past, backslapping the potato dudes, and then mixing with the veggies thinking of life back home. A spicy jamming mehfil, with the cardamom, cumin, onion and garlic high fliers, waving to the cashews, and then resting a bit amidst coriander mint yogurt lakes. Fully stuffed, he leans back and relaxes against the rice, thinking of his childhood and festival times, as he is sprinkled with milk, kewda, saffron and ghee. Sir Fanas of Jackfruit. He has come a long way, has learned so much. From life as well as Taikaku, Mai and Dada of Kokan. He has an inkling of what the future holds, as he bravely looks up and faces some confused non vegetarians, who think Shruti has cooked meat.... |
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