Shortly after getting home from our vacation in NYC, Chris and I got a pretty bad head cold. It was the first full-blown cold that we've had in a looooong time and I'm so thankful that it wasn't the flu, but we were pretty tore up. 
When both of us were both achy and exhausted and had runny noses, we did what any pair of responsible adults would do: We acted like babies.
Ok, maybe not babies. More like sick kids, roughly around the age of 9 or 10. One day we stayed in bed all day long. We ate kid's cereal for breakfast in bed. We repeated that for lunch. We geeked out on our laptops until our heads hurt too much and then we just watched movies for the rest of the day. Samantha (our canine roommate) kept watch over us the entire time, cleaning up any cereal we may have spilt and making sure we stayed warm by laying as close to us as she possibly could.
When we started to get a little hungry for dinner, we called in an order at Cafe Gratitude and Chris went to pick it up (luckily, it's only about five minutes away). I ordered the I Am Humble, a curried lentil dish which I had once attempted to replicate. I was once again amazed at how comforting this dish was and how much it cleared my sinuses, even if just for a short period of time. We ate that in bed too, in case you were wondering.
The next day, we were feeling a little better and ended up on the couch all day, acting like sick teenagers, circa 1994, watching episodes of My So-Called Life (I was introducing Chris to my 15 year old self, 90's grunge and all. "Did I really wear that much flannel?" Yes. Yes, I did.) on Netflix. Again, too sick to actually make dinner, Chris grabbed some take-out from Native Foods while he was picking up the twins for the weekend.
The following day, there was still a lingering cold, but I felt up to making dinner. I wanted something to clear my sinuses just as the curry had a couple nights earlier. So jackfruit curry it was. This dish bursts with tons of flavor and has just the right amount of spiciness. Enough to clear my sinuses but not make me cry. I served it up with some quinoa and lemon mustard greens (my new favorite way to prepare greens. I've done escarole, spinach, and this time it just so happened to be bok choy). It was a great meal. And the next day, my cold was gone. Coincidence? I think not.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 cans of jackfruit, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the jackfruit in a bowl. Use your fingers or a fork to pull the pieces part in to shreds and chunks. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the curry powder, garam masala, coriander, thyme, turneric, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Mix well. add the water and stir until it becomes a thick paste. Set aside.
- In a large shallow saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat for one minute. Add the cumin, fennel, and mustard seeds. Stir and fry the seeds until they begin to pop and sputter, about three minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and quickly mix together, stirring constantly for one minute, before adding the onion. Sauté the onion until translucent.
- If there is anything sticking to the bottom of the pan, use a few tablespoons of water tyo deglaze the pan and scrape it all up. Add the bell pepper and mix to combine. Add the spice paste and mix until fully combined. Allow to cook for about two minutes.
- Add the jackfruit and mix until fully combined. Add the vegetable broth and lime juice and mix to combine. Scrape the bottom of anything that may be sticking, if needed. Cover the pan and bring to a boil.
- Once it is boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and crack the lid just a bit. Let simmer for about 40-45 minutes, until sauce is thickened. If you want to make it a little thicker, you can add the arrowroot powder, but it's not necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with quinoa or rice (or another type of grain), along with the greens. Enjoy!
lemon mustard bok choy
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon whole grain mustard or 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 bunches of baby bok choy
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Add the mustard or mustard seeds and the garlic and stir until fully combined. Add the greens and stir until fully coated with the mustard garlic mixture. Saute for about 3 minutes, until the greens are slightly wilted. Add the lemon juice and toss to fully combine. Use the juice to deglaze the pan, if needed, scraping up any sticking bits. Allow to cook for 1 minute more before removing from heat. Serve immediately.
Do you ever act like a kid when you're sick? What are you favorite sick-at-home activities?
Photography by Chris Miller
janet @ the taste space
I am the biggest baby when I get sick. I am loving this meal. I've tried BBQ jackfruit tacos with great success and this looks right up my alley.. including the lemon mustard bok choy. Yum!! 🙂
keepinitkind
Thank you, Janet! I'm glad to hear that Chris and I aren't the only "babies" out there. 🙂
Caitlin
i still haven't tried jackfruit and this recipe looks absolutely perfect for me to try over the weekend. i am smitten with all of the spices in there and must try the mustard greens! i can imagine how your health was completely restored after eating this fabulous meal!
keepinitkind
Caitlin, I think you (and maybe even Dayv!!!) would like jackfruit. It's so versatile and fun to play around with. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Melissa
I can relate to this on so many levels! Yesterday I woke up with head & body aches which turned into full blown illness by mid-day. 102 fever, aches, & chills. All I could do was lay in bed & mope. Dog by my side for warmth, & the ipad in front of me. I was (shamefully) catching up on the Bachelor, but was definitely a So Called Lifer back in the day, flannel & all. (MMMMMmmmm...Jared Leto). Too exhausted to cook, I had a friend bring me some vegan pho, & that really hit the spot. I only wish I had Cafe Gratitude & Native so close (but Native Foods is opening here in a few days!).
I've had some tofu marinating & a lovely bunch of bok choy in my fridge just waiting to be cooked & consumed. It was supposed to be last night's dinner. Hoping I feel well enough to make it tonight & I'll definitely be preparing the bok choy lemon mustard style! Be well! x
keepinitkind
I am so sorry to hear that you're not well, Melissa! I just look at it as nature's way of telling me to slow down and do all the things I always wish I had time for. Like a My So-Called Life (and yes!!!! Jordan Catelano! Sigh.) or Bachelor marathon. I hope you feel better soon, my dear! xo
Annie
I have GOT to get on this jackfruit thing! Especially if it scares away head colds ;-)!
keepinitkind
think it may have been the curry more so than the jackfruit that had the healing properties, but you definitely need to give jackfruit a try! 🙂
Richa`
This is one dish i can make everyday:) all the herbs and spices do keep those pesky viruses away:). i hear ya about something in the air. there is some stagnation here since 2 weeks and the cold and bad air is giving me crazy congestion and headaches and throwing off my balance.. arggh.
Sam is such a sweetie.. Chewie sits by and gives us warmth, but if we are late giving him his food, you bet he is going to bark till he gets some. i remember when vivek has his acl surgery, i would be exhausted everyday and chewie would get short walks.. he behaved for the first 3 days(probably coz he felt that vivek was in pain) and then he just had too much unused energy. barking and chasing his tail and then he just started running in the house like one crazy pom for the next 10 minutes:). and then all was calm again.:)
keepinitkind
Thank you, Richa!
I love Chewie! Sam is far past the age of needing tons of exercise. If we take her for a walk that lasts longer than 8-10 minutes, she is out for the rest of the day, snoring up a storm. 🙂
Cadry
Oh, now I'm going to act like a baby because when YOU'RE sick you have access to Cafe Gratitude & Native Foods for take-out! No fair! 😉 After we returned from Florida, David and I also got hit with colds. It's so rare for that to happen, but that didn't mean that we enjoyed our turn any more! Like you, I thought curry would be the perfect spice to cure what ailed us. I made Isa's curried split pea from Vegan with a Vengeance, and it was so soothing and warming. Now that I'm on this curry streak, I've got to make this jackfruit dish! It sounds fabulous and looks a lot like a dish I had in Madison last summer at a Nepali restaurant. http://cadryskitchen.com/2012/06/11/vegan-food-and-fun-in-madison-wisconsin/
Jodye @ Chocolate and Chou Fleur
I have really wanted to make a dish using jackfruit for the longest time, but I can only ever find it dried and sweetened! Where did you get yours? This curry sounds so delicious, and such a great way to clear up a runny nose! I totally act like a kid when I'm sick, watching cartoons, doing arts and crafts, etc. Funny that you were watching "My So-Called Life," I did the same thing a couple weeks ago! Oh, the 90s.
keepinitkind
I love that we aren't the only ones who act like kids when we don't feel well! 🙂
I buy jackfruit from an ethnic market attached to an indian food restaurant out here in LA. I think you can get it at asian markets too. I don't ever see it at mainstream grocery stores, or even Whole Foods for that matter. Good luck with your search!
Gabby @ the veggie nook
This looks delicious Kristy and I'm so glad you are both feeling better! Nothing like good nourishing food to help you feel better 🙂
keepinitkind
Thank you, Gabby- I couldn't agree more! 🙂
heather
Awww being sick is never fun! Whenever I am sick you will find me camped out on the couch with some mindless series playing on netflix or a Pixar Movie with a big mug of bottomless tea - and SOUP loads and loads of soup or buttered toast - buttered toast always makes me feel better, my mom used to make use this when we stayed home from school with the flu 🙂
I have never had Jack fruit - I need to find a can of this goodness!
keepinitkind
I almost never sit around watching movies or television shows, but when I'm sick, I love it! 🙂
Yosef - This American Bite
I love jackfuit and have used it to make vegan pulled BBQ sandwiches (email me for the recipe!) but never thought to do anything else with it. This is simply inspiring.
keepinitkind
Thank you! I've made pulled "pork" sandwiches using Jackfruit too, while recipe testing for an upcoming cookbook, so you'll get to hear about it this summer. 🙂 It really is an incredible ingredient- I have so many more things I want to try with it!
Becky San Juan
is this the green jackfruit you're using?
keepinitkind
Yes- young jackfruit, packed in brine.