This raw jackfruit sushel recipe, also called pansache sushel or raw jackfruit subzi, is a traditional Goan preparation made with small, tender raw jackfruit. It’s a genuinely healthy dish too, made with just a teaspoon of oil for the entire recipe. Raw jackfruits are abundant across India in the summer months, and this is exactly the kind of dish Goan households turn to during that season — alongside Chaako, a similar preparation made with slightly larger raw jackfruit.
This particular version was taught by Raksha’s mother-in-law, passed down the way most Goan traditional recipes are — one kitchen to the next, rarely written down until now. There are several regional variations of sushel, which this post covers in detail below.
What Is Sushel?
Sushel is a Goan preparation style where a vegetable — most often raw jackfruit — is boiled, mashed, and mixed with a coarse coconut-garlic-chili chutney rather than cooked in a wet gravy. The result sits somewhere between a subzi and a coarse mash, with the chutney distributed through every bite rather than sitting on top as a garnish.
How to Clean and Prep Raw Jackfruit
Raw jackfruit is notoriously sticky to work with, thanks to its natural latex (“deekh” in Konkani), so a bit of prep makes the process much easier:
- Apply oil generously to your palms and to the knife before you start — this is the single most important step for avoiding sticky hands.
- Spread newspaper on your work surface, since the latex can stain.
- Cut the raw jackfruit into two pieces, wipe off the visible gum with newspaper, then cut into two more halves.
- Discard the middle core, called “maav” in Konkani.
- Use a sharp knife to cut away the outer thorny skin.
- Cut the flesh into 2-inch long, 1-inch thick pieces.
- Keep the tender seeds, called “bhikna” in Konkani — they’re soft at this stage and cook well right alongside the jackfruit flesh.
- Soak the cut pieces in water for 30 minutes. This prevents discoloration and washes off any remaining latex.
Ingredients for Raw Jackfruit Sushel
- Raw baby jackfruit – small and tender is key; larger, more mature jackfruit takes longer to cook and has a different texture.
- Toor dal (pigeon pea) – cooked alongside the jackfruit, adding body and protein to the dish.
- Coconut, freshly grated – ground into the finishing chutney.
- Green chilies and garlic – ground with the coconut for the chutney that flavors the whole dish.
- Sugar – just a touch, to round out the chutney’s flavor.
- Oil – used sparingly; this is a naturally light, low-oil dish.
How to Make Raw Jackfruit Sushel (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Soak the Toor Dal Soak toor dal in water for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Pressure Cook Pressure cook the chopped jackfruit pieces and soaked toor dal together with a little water, just until one whistle.
Step 3: Cool and Separate Let the pressure release naturally. Open the cooker, separate the toor dal from the cooked jackfruit, and discard any leftover water.
Step 4: Mash the Jackfruit Place the cooked jackfruit pieces on a flat plate and mash into shreds using a pestle (“khalbato” in Konkani). Since the jackfruit is already boiled, this comes together easily.
Step 5: Make the Chutney Using a mortar and pestle, grind green chilies, garlic, grated coconut, and a little sugar into a thick, coarse paste — no water added. A mixer grinder works too, as long as the texture stays thick and coarse rather than smooth.
Step 6: Combine Mix the mashed jackfruit, cooked toor dal, and the chutney together thoroughly, using your fingertips to combine everything evenly.
Step 7: Cook Briefly Heat a little oil in a kadai, add the mixture, and sauté briefly. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 8: Season Add salt to taste.
Variations of Sushel
This is a dish with real household-to-household variation, and there’s no single “correct” version:
- Pure vegetarian version: simply skip the garlic in the chutney.
- With hing: some cooks add asafoetida to the tempering for extra depth.
- Without mashing: some households prefer to leave the jackfruit pieces whole or roughly chopped rather than mashed into shreds.
- With green vatana (dried peas): some versions swap toor dal for green vatana chana entirely.
Serving Suggestions
Serve raw jackfruit sushel with steamed rice, amlechi uddamethi (Goan raw mango curry), and raw banana phodi (pan-fried plantain) for a complete, traditional Goan vegetarian meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between sushel and chaako? Both are Goan raw jackfruit preparations, but sushel is traditionally made with smaller, more tender baby jackfruit and involves mashing the cooked pieces, while chaako uses slightly larger raw jackfruit and is typically left in bigger pieces rather than mashed.
Can I use canned or frozen jackfruit instead of fresh? This recipe is built around fresh, tender raw (unripe) jackfruit, which has a very different texture and flavor from the ripe jackfruit typically found canned or frozen outside India. Fresh raw jackfruit is genuinely worth seeking out at an Indian grocery store if you don’t have local access to it, since substitutes won’t replicate the dish accurately.
Is raw jackfruit sushel vegan? The base recipe is vegetarian; to make it fully vegan, use oil instead of any dairy-based fat (the recipe as written doesn’t call for dairy, so it’s naturally vegan-friendly as long as you skip any optional ghee).
How do I choose a good raw jackfruit for this recipe? Look for a small, firm, young jackfruit — it should feel hard to the touch with no give, and the skin should not have started turning yellow, which signals ripening has begun.
Why does raw jackfruit make hands sticky, and how do I deal with it? Raw jackfruit contains a natural latex (called “deekh” in Konkani) that’s very sticky and hard to wash off. Oiling your hands, knife, and cutting surface thoroughly before you start is the most effective way to manage it.
Can I make this dish ahead of time? Sushel is best made fresh and eaten the same day, since the texture of the mashed jackfruit and fresh chutney is part of what makes the dish work — it doesn’t reheat or store quite as well as a wetter curry would.
You might also like: Amlechi Uddamethi (Goan Raw Mango Curry), Raw Banana Phodi (Pan-Fried Plantain), Ripe Jackfruit Cake (Pansache Dhonas), Stuffed Jackfruit.
Raw Jackfruit Sushel (Raw Jackfruit Subzi)
Ingredients
- 1 small raw baby jackfruit
- 2 tablespoons toor dal pigeon pea/arhar dal
- 4 tablespoons freshly grated coconut
- 2 green chilies
- 5 –6 garlic pods peeled and chopped
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cleaning the raw jackfruit:
- Oil your palms and knife. Spread newspaper on your work surface. Cut the jackfruit into two pieces, wipe off the gum with newspaper, then cut into two more halves. Discard the middle core ("maav").
- Cut away the outer thorny skin with a sharp knife, then cut into 2-inch long, 1-inch thick pieces. Keep the tender seeds ("bhikna") — they're soft and usable.
- Soak the pieces in water for 30 minutes to prevent discoloration and remove excess gum.
- Cooking:
- Soak toor dal in water for 30 minutes.
- Pressure cook the chopped jackfruit and toor dal together with a little water, just until one whistle.
- Let the pressure release naturally. Separate the toor dal from the jackfruit, and discard any leftover water.
- Mash the cooked jackfruit on a flat plate using a pestle until shredded.
- Grind green chilies, garlic, grated coconut, and sugar into a thick, coarse paste (no water added).
- Mix the mashed jackfruit, toor dal, and chutney together thoroughly.
- Heat oil in a kadai, add the mixture, and sauté briefly. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add salt to taste.
Notes
Some cooks add hing to the tempering, or skip mashing the jackfruit entirely — there's no single correct version of this dish.
Pin this on Pinterest.
Lovely recipe