Dhelonugithi ( Spicy breadfruit mix)

The first time I heard about this was when my aunt shared a local poem about this particular dish. The whole poem is basically a description of how to make it.

Breadfruit is a large round fruit, similar looking to jackfruit and durian but with fewer spikes when its ripe. Its usually found in some parts of  Asia, the Caribbean islands, Africa, and also in the Maldives. 

Since its breadfruit season here in the Maldives I decided to make this. Now you can't make this dish with just any breadfruit. Here you have to use an unripe one, or as locals call it a githi banbukeyo(breadfruit). Sadly there aren't any breadfruit trees in Male'city thanks to development so by the time breadfruit arrives here it is quite ripe.

 But my husband brought me a breadfruit a week ago and from the looks of it didn't really look very ripe. So I sent a few pictures to my aunt and cousin to confirm. It was considered not very unripe but still not a ripe breadfruit. In unripe breadfruit, the spikes are more prominent and the fruit is greener and firm to touch when you feel it around. Since this one ticked most of the boxes I decided to use it. 

I used just half of the breadfruit, the other half I cut in half and popped in the freezer to use another day. 

To make this dish, cut the breadfruit into small pieces like this. That is after peeling and removing the core.

Place in a small pan with just enough water to cover the breadfruit, season with a little salt and place on stovetop and bring to boil and simmer till the breadfruit softens. 

Once the breadfruit starts to soften add the sliced onion, and smoked tuna or canned tuna.  Mix it in and let it simmer another 2 minutes.

Stir in cumin, pepper,  garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, and curry leaves. Stir and then lower heat. Using a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon mash the mixture. 

By now the water would have evaporated. Stir in the grated coconut and mix well. Taste and adjust salt. Squeeze a little lime, this is purely optional, its my own addition as for me it lifts the whole thing. Switch off heat and serve warm.

This is served with rice or roshi or even with local rice porridge, baipen. 

Yield: 3-4

Author: Nammi

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Dhelonugithi ( breadfruit dish)

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

• 200g unripe breadfruit
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced ( or half a medium onion)
• 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced smoked tuna or 1/2 can tuna, oil drained and flaked
• 10 curry leaves, finly sliced
• 1 fat clove of garlic, grated
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin 
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper ( pinch)
• salt
• 1/3 cup grated coconut
• water 

Instructions:

1. Place the chopped breadfruit in a small pan with enough water to just cook the breadfruit. 
2. Place on the stovetop with a pinch of salt and let it cook for 10 minutes. 
3. Once the breadfruit starts to soften, add onion and tuna. Stir and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Next add curry leaves, scotch bonnet pepper, garlic, cumin, and pepper. 
5. Stir and let it cook till the water evaporates. 
6. Once the water evaporates, lower the heat and mash the breadfruit. 
7. Taste and season with salt and add the coconut. Cook, stirring continuously on the stovetop till the mixture is quite dry. 
8. Switch off. Squeeze a little lime if you want and stir and serve warm. 

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