Echorer dalna recipe | Echor recipe | Kathaler torkari | How to cook echorer dalna

Echorer dalna recipe aka kathaler torkari is a classic traditional Bengali food which is immensely popular in West Bengal and Bangladesh. It is also referred as Kathaler dalna. Echorer dalna is a very beloved summer recipe among Bengalis which is frequently prepared in every house during summer. This Bengali delicacy is popular for its supreme taste and unique texture. In this recipe, raw jackfruit pieces are cooked in spicy onion-tomato gravy. This flavoured jackfruit curry recipe is mostly relished with steamed rice and sometimes with flat bread like roti and chapati.

About the recipe
Health Benefits of raw Jackfruit
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Echorer Dalna (step wise photos)
Recipe Card

Echorer dalna recipe is an echor recipe Bengali and its name explains that. It is a pure Bengali name where ‘Echor’ stands for ‘Raw Jackfruit’ and the word ‘Dalna’ refers for ‘Curry with gravy’. Many Bengalis refer ‘Echor’ as ‘Kacha Kathal’ too. The hindi translation of echor dalna is called Kathal ki sabzi. Many people in north India prepare Kathal ki sabzi with almost same main ingredients but the cooking technique and proportion of ingredients differ in each state.

Bengalis are very fond of echor recipe and they desperately wait for summer to get it. In fact, they refer echor as Gach Patha for its unique texture and taste. Here the word Gach means Veg and Patha means Mutton. By this, we can estimate the popularity of echor among Bengalis. I still remember how my dad used to bring Kacha Kathal, I mean Jackfruit, from the market during summer. My mom used to cook many amazing Bengali recipes with it and echorer dalna is one of them.

Echor recipe is one of the most popular topics among Bengali kids because most of them get fooled with it. Echor recipe is quite like Mutton curries prepared with lots of onion, garlic, ginger and spices. Most of the Bengali moms call it Mutton and feed their children before they nose up for Jackfruit curry. Just because it tastes so great, the kids don’t even realise it. In fact, my mom had done the same trick with me for multiple times and I always got fooled. But it is always a great fun to get fooled for such delicious delight.

Echor recipe plays a remarkable role in Bengali cuisine. Many outstanding Bengali recipes are prepared with this magical ingredient. Echor or Kacha kathal is one of the most versatile fruits which is used to prepare different ranges of curries, snacks and appetizers. Echor Chingri, Echor Kalia, Echor Dalna, Echorer kofta curry, Echor Chop, Echor Cutlet are few renowned echor recipe bengali.

The difficulty level of preparing Echor chingri recipe is low if you have cut and cleaned the jackfruit pieces. It is a slow cooking recipe and requires more time to get cooked because jackfruit takes more time to get cooked as compared to other regular vegetables. All the ingredients required to prepare the dish is easily available in Bengali kitchen pantry. We need to be little patient while preparing echor recipe because it takes little more time to get cooked as compared to other vegetables.

Honestly, I don’t suggest a novice to prepare this recipe if he or she is working with a whole green jackfruit because the most time consuming and toughest part of the recipe is to cut and clean the raw Jackfruit. In fact, whenever I get canned or frozen jackfruit pieces, I always grab it and store it in my pantry. If you have canned or frozen jackfruit then it’s thumbs up from my side to the beginners to prepare this dish.

I have cooked Echor recipe for the first time after newly getting married. At that time, I was in Pune. My husband is a great fan of raw jackfruit and echorer dalna recipe is one of his favourites. One day, he bought a raw green jackfruit from the market and I had no clue what to do with the fleshy fruit. Then I called my Mom and got all the instructions over the phone. It was a bit difficult for me to prepare echorer dalna recipe for the first time like that, but it was delicious. My husband could not stop himself to devour it. But now, I have got expertise in it. I have cooked myriad echor recipes multiple times and my family just loves them.

Echorer dalna with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the recipe and the ingredient Jackfruit.

• Its low in calorie and can be a great companion for weight loss.
• It helps to control the blood sugar level of our body by improving insulin sensitivity.
• It contains soluble fibre which helps to control the cholesterol level of our body.
• It is a great source of protein for vegetarians.
• It contains Vitamin C which helps to boost our immunity system.
• It is a good source of Calcium which makes our bone stronger.

• During the time of cutting jackfruit, it releases sticky white liquid which makes it difficult to cut. To overcome from this problem, always apply oil on your palm, chopping board and on the blade of the knife. This would prevent the liquid to stick to them.
• Fry the potato chunks separately for better taste and texture.
• Use tomato paste rather than tomato chunk for thicker and smother gravy.
• Always use mustard oil to cook echorer dalna for better flavour and taste.
• Use Bengali garam masala rather than regular garam masala for better flavour.

To prepare the echorer dalna, first I have cut and cleaned the jackfruit and then made medium pieces of it. While you cut the jackfruit, it releases sticky white liquid which may make your job tough. To overcome from this problem, always apply oil on your palm, chopping board and on the blade of the knife. This would prevent the liquid to stick to them.

You can even use frozen or canned jackfruit to reduce your effort if it is available in your place. Transfer the jackfruit pieces in a pan of salted water and boil it for some time till cooked but not mushy. This step helps to get rid of the stickiness of jackfruit completely. Many people pressure cook the raw jackfruit pieces in salted water too for 1-2 whistles instead of it. But I always prefer to boil the jackfruits in a pan because sometimes in pressure cooker, the jackfruits get over cooked and the texture of Echorer dalna recipe gets mushy.

Potato chunks are another important component of this Kathaler torkari. The Bengalis love potatoes in curries, and it tastes great too. So, I marinated the potatoes with salt and turmeric powder.

Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot. Generally, most of the traditional Bengali food is cooked in mustard oil. It gives an outstanding flavour to the dish.

Add the potato chunk into the pan and then fry them till crisp and golden in colour. Then keep them aside on a separate plate.

After this, temper the whole spices – bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds and dry red chillies and let them crackle. The amalgamation of these whole spices with mustard seeds creates an epic flavour which is the secret of many Bengali recipes. Other than these whole spices, I have also used ground spices for the flavouring of the dish.

Add the chopped garlic into the pan and fry them till golden. Then add the onion slices into the pan and cook them over medium flame for 9-10 minutes till soft and translucent.

Add ginger paste and garlic paste into the pan and cook them in low flame for 2-3 minutes. Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt into the pan into the pan and cook them in low flame for 2-3 minutes.

Add the jackfruit pieces into the pan and give a nice stir to coat them evenly with the masala. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 15-16 minutes. Stir them in between. This step helps to induce the flavour into the jackfruit pieces.

Then add tomato paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for 4-5 minutes. After this, take a bowl and add cumin powder, coriander powder and water into it. Make a paste of the spices and add it into the pan. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes.

Add the fried potato chunks into the pan and mix it gently. Then add the water into the pan and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy starts boiling. Put the flame in low and simmer the gravy for 5-6 minutes.

The consistency of the Echorer dalna gravy is neither too thick nor too thin. So, you can prepare it according to your own preference. I have added 2½ cups of water into the curry. Echor tends to soak the water like sponge. So, enough water should be added for the recipe.

At the final stage of cooking, add sugar, bengali garam masala powder (a ground spice mixture which contains equal portion of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves) and ghee (Clarified butter), one by one into the pan. These spices complement the flavour of the dish very well.

Many traditional Bengali Recipes have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check few of them like

Echor chingri
Chanar Dalna
Aloo Posto
Doi Begun

..And Many more…

1 cup = 250 ml

• 500 grams raw Jackfruit (Echor), medium pieces
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3-4 cups Water

• 2 medium Potatoes, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt

• 2 Tomatoes, deseeded and diced for paste
• 2 Onions, thin sliced
• 3 large cloves of Garlic, finely chopped or paste
• 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon Garlic paste
• 2-4 green chillies
• ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 Bay leaf
• 4 Cardamoms
• 4 Cloves
• 1-inch Cinnamon stick
• 2 dry red Chillies
• 1½ teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1½ teaspoon Coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon Chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon Ghee
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (Optional)
• Salt to taste
• 2½ Cups of Water for gravy, quantity may vary according to preferred consistency
• 3 tablespoons Mustard Oil for cooking

1. First apply oil on the blade of the knife, chopping board and both the palms of your hands nicely before cutting the raw jackfruit. Then cut them into 4 pieces and peel off the skin of the jackfruit. Cut the jackfruits into medium pieces.
   Tip: Jackfruit contains latex, a sticky white liquid. Greasing hand and knife help to get rid of it and makes the cutting process easier.
2. Take a large bowl filled with salted water to put the jackfruit chunks into it. It resists the jackfruit to get discoloured.
3. Take a large pan and add enough water into it. Add salt and jackfruit pieces into the pan and cook it in high flame for 5-6 minutes until the water starts boiling. Then put the flame in low and cook the jackfruit pieces till soft but don’t overcook it or else the Echorer dalna will be mushy. Drain the excess water and keep the jackfruit pieces aside.
   Note: This step removes all the stickiness from the raw jackfruit pieces.
4. On the other hand, take a jar of a blender and add the tomato chunks into it. Close the lid of the pan and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
5. Marinate the potato chunks with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
6. Put a pan on flame and let it become completely dry. Add 3 tablespoons Mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
7. Add the marinated potato chunks into the pan and fry them in medium high flame till golden brown. Turn the pieces and fry them evenly. Transfer the fried potatoes on a plate and keep it aside.
8. If required, add some oil into the same pan and wait until the oil is hot.
9. Add 1 bay leaf, 4 cloves, 4 cardamom, 1-inch cinnamon stick, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and 2-3 dry red chillies into the pan and let them crackle.
10. Add the chopped garlic into the pan and fry them till light golden in colour.
11. Add onion slices into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 9-10 minutes until the onion become translucent. Stir in between.
12. Add 1 tablespoon ginger paste, 1 tablespoon garlic paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
13. Add salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for 2-3 minutes. Stir it in between.
14. Add the jackfruit pieces (Step 3) into the pan and give a nice stir to coat them evenly with the masala. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 15-16 minutes. Stir them in between. This step helps to induce the flavour into the jackfruit pieces.
15. Add the tomato paste (Step 4), green chillies into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for 4-5 minutes.
16. In the meantime, in a small bowl, add 1½ teaspoon of cumin powder and 1½ teaspoon of coriander powder. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water into the spice mixture and mix it to a smooth paste.
17. Add the spice paste into the pan and mix it nicely. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
18. Add the fried potato chunks (Step 7) into the pan and mix it gently.
19. Add 2½ cups of water into the pan and stir it nicely. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy starts boiling. Then put the flame in low and cook it for another 5-6 minutes. Check the salt of the curry, if required add more.
20. At the final stage of cooking, add 1 teaspoon sugar, add 1 teaspoon bengali garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon ghee (Clarified butter) one by one into the pan and mix it thoroughly.
21. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.

Transfer the Echorer dalna recipe into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Serve hot or warm to enjoy the best taste. Relish the authentic Bengali recipe with plain Rice or Rotis and enjoy your meal.

Echorer dalna recipe | Echor recipe | Kathaler torkari | How to cook echorer dalna

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes

Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

1 cup = 250 ml

To boil the raw Jackfruit pieces

• 500 grams raw Jackfruit (Echor), medium pieces
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3-4 cups Water

To marinate the Potato Chunks

• 2 medium Potatoes, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt

Other Ingredients for Echorer dalna

• 2 Tomatoes, deseeded and diced for paste
• 2 Onions, thin sliced
• 3 large cloves of Garlic, finely chopped or paste
• 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon Garlic paste
• 2-4 green chillies
• ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 Bay leaf
• 4 Cardamoms
• 4 Cloves
• inch Cinnamon stick
• 2 dry red Chillies
• 1½ teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1½ teaspoon Coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon Chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon Ghee
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (Optional)
• Salt to taste
• 2½ Cups of Water for gravy, quantity may vary according to preferred consistency
• 3 tablespoons Mustard Oil for cooking

Instructions

1. First apply oil on the blade of the knife, chopping board and both the palms of your hands nicely before cutting the raw jackfruit. Then cut them into 4 pieces and peel off the skin of the jackfruit. Cut the jackfruits into medium pieces.

Tip: Jackfruit contains latex, a sticky white liquid. Greasing hand and knife help to get rid of it and makes the cutting process easier.

2. Take a large bowl filled with salted water to put the jackfruit chunks into it. It resists the jackfruit to get discoloured.
3. Take a large pan and add enough water into it. Add salt and jackfruit pieces into the pan and cook it in high flame for 5-6 minutes until the water starts boiling. Then put the flame in low and cook the jackfruit pieces till soft but don’t overcook it or else the Echorer dalna will be mushy. Drain the excess water and keep the jackfruit pieces aside.

Note: This step removes all the stickiness from the raw jackfruit pieces.

4. On the other hand, take a jar of a blender and add the tomato chunks into it. Close the lid of the pan and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
5. Marinate the potato chunks with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
6. Put a pan on flame and let it become completely dry. Add 3 tablespoons Mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
7. Add the marinated potato chunks into the pan and fry them in medium high flame till golden brown. Turn the pieces and fry them evenly. Transfer the fried potatoes on a plate and keep it aside.
8. If required, add some oil into the same pan and wait until the oil is hot.
9. Add 1 bay leaf, 4 cloves, 4 cardamom, 1-inch cinnamon stick, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and 2-3 dry red chillies into the pan and let them crackle.
10. Add the chopped garlic into the pan and fry them till light golden in colour.
11. Add onion slices into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 9-10 minutes until the onion become translucent. Stir in between.
12. Add 1 tablespoon ginger paste, 1 tablespoon garlic paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
13. Add salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for 2-3 minutes. Stir it in between.
14. Add the jackfruit pieces (Step 3) into the pan and give a nice stir to coat them evenly with the masala. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 15-16 minutes. Stir them in between. This step helps to induce the flavour into the jackfruit pieces.
15. Add the tomato paste (Step 4), green chillies into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for 4-5 minutes.
16. In the meantime, in a small bowl, add 1½ teaspoon of cumin powder and 1½ teaspoon of coriander powder. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water into the spice mixture and mix it to a smooth paste.
17. Add the spice paste into the pan and mix it nicely. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
18. Add the fried potato chunks (Step 7) into the pan and mix it gently.
19. Add 2½ cups of water into the pan and stir it nicely. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy starts boiling. Then put the flame in low and cook it for another 5-6 minutes. Check the salt of the curry, if required add more.
20. At the final stage of cooking, add 1 teaspoon sugar, add 1 teaspoon bengali garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon ghee (Clarified butter) one by one into the pan and mix it thoroughly.
21. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.