A popular Sri Lankan snack, these Jackfruit cutlets / croquettes are perfect for snacking, and for parties!
Sri Lankan appetizers and snacks
Sri Lankan cutlets are legendary. They are an extremely popular snack/appetizer. Commonly called “short-eats” in the island, these appetizers (much like the ever popular Sri Lankan fish cutlets, fish patties or fish empanadas, Sri Lankan Chinese rolls, curried beef roti etc.) are unavoidable at any party or gathering worth its salt. The curried filling for these croquettes is usually a mixture of potatoes and a protein (typically fish, but occasionally chicken too). A bit similar to the curried potatoes in this hash recipe. This mixture is rolled into balls (like fried cheese balls), dredged in an egg wash and breadcrumbs, and then fried until crispy. While fried fish cutlets are the norm, occasionally they can be baked fish cutlets as well. Vegetarian or vegan cutlet recipes are also common in Sri Lanka. Growing up, I used to come across these jackfruit cutlets / croquettes at religious events that featured vegetarian and vegan dishes, and they were just as unforgettable as the fish cutlets!
How to make curried jackfruit cutlets (jackfruit croquettes)
Making the filling
The filling for these vegan curried croquettes is made with,
Jackfruit (I use canned jackfruit here, but fresh jackfruit also works), Potatoes (potatoes help to bind the mixture together. You can use sweet potatoes as well), Spices (I use a few different spices here to give the filling lots of great flavor).
The potatoes are first boiled, until soft. Next, the jackfruit is drained from the can, rinsed, and chopped. Then the jackfruit is cooked in a pan, along with the spices, until softened. It’s important to cook out most of the liquid from the jackfruit. Add the potatoes and mash it into the filling. Cook the filling for a few more minutes to allow excess water to evaporate. If you’re using sweet potatoes instead, you may have to cook the filling longer to remove excess water. This is due to the higher moisture content in sweet potatoes. Allow the filling to cool down completely (uncovered), and then roll the filling into 1 1/2 inch balls. The jackfruit croquette filling is now ready for the next step.
Dredging station for vegan jackfruit cutlets
Instead of the regular egg wash / dredge, here I use a mixture of water and flour as the coating, which will help the breadcrumbs stick in a smooth, even layer. This flour – water mixture shouldn’t be too thick, or create a thick flour coating. A thin layer of the flour water mix is ideal. You absolutely should NOT use panko breadcrumbs for these croquettes. That’s because the flakes are larger with panko breadcrumbs, and these will not cover the cutlets smoothly. This will cause the jackfruit croquettes to split when fried. So to get an even, smooth coating, you need to use unseasoned, regular breadcrumbs that are smaller than panko. Coat each potato and jackfruit croquette ball in the flour-water mix and then shake off the excess. Place this in the breadcrumb dish, and coat the whole ball with the breadcrumbs. Make sure the coating is even, with very few cracks (ideally no cracks). These cracks can open up while frying, causing the jackfruit cutlets to split, and that’s no good! I personally prefer to dredge and coat the croquettes twice, for a thicker breadcrumb layer. This results in a crunchier coating!
Frying process
Since the filling isn’t raw, these jackfruit croquettes only need to be fried until they’re golden brown, and heated through. In a pot, heat some oil (at least 3 inches in height) until it reaches about 350 F / 180 C. Fry the jackfruit cutlets in the hot oil, until they turn golden brown in color. Move the croquettes in the oil to ensure even browning. The cutlets should brown in about 2 – 3 minutes, depending on size. Place the fried jackfruit croquettes in a colander that is lined with paper towels to allow the excess oil to drain. They are best eaten while still a little hot or warm, and crispy!
Frequently asked questions
Why I love this recipe
I loooove jackfruit. It’s one of the most versatile vegetables (or fruits – when it’s ripe) on the planet. It can soak up whatever flavor you add to it, and it also has such a delightful meaty texture. Check out my jackfruit curry for example.
But while there’s plenty of great things about jackfruit itself, I love these jackfruit cutlets, because I just love Sri Lankan cutlets / croquettes.
Sri Lankan cutlets / croquettes are an integral part of the Sri Lankan food culture. It’s safe to say that no party or gathering is complete without a plateful of these flavorful babies.
They are spicy, meaty, and just so satisfying, for meat-lovers and vegans alike! And they are just a great appetizer recipe.
