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Sour Tender Jackfruit Curry Recipe | Sri Lankan Polos Curry
Sour tender Jackfruit Curry (පොලොස් ඇඹුල)
| Category | Servings | Total time | Spice level | Kids friendly |
| Main Curry | 3-4 adults | 45-55 minutes | 🌶️🌶️🌶️ | ❌ |
The Soul of Ambul Polos
A bold, sour jackfruit curry with deep roasted spices and a rich, dry Sri Lankan finish.
Ambul polos is a bold and deeply traditional Sri Lankan dish, where young jackfruit is cooked down into a thick, dark, sour and spice‑rich curry. Inspired by the same flavour principles as ambul thiyal, this dish replaces fish with tender polos, allowing the fruit to absorb an intense blend of goraka, pepper and roasted spices.
Unlike coconut milk curries, ambul polos is dry and concentrated, with no creamy gravy. Instead, the flavours are reduced slowly until they coat each piece of jackfruit in a rich, dark paste. The result is sour, slightly smoky, peppery and deeply satisfying.
This dish is often served with rice and simple sides like dhal or greens, balancing the strong flavour profile. It represents the bold, preservative-style cooking traditions of Sri Lanka, where sourness and spice work together to create depth and longevity.
Ingredients
- 600 g young jackfruit (පොලොස්)
- ½ cup water
- 1 medium onion
- 2 green chillies
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 1 small piece pandan leaf
- 1½ tbsp roasted curry powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1½ tsp crushed black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- 2-3 tbsp goraka paste
- 1 tbsp garlic
- 1 small pinch sugar
Making It Kid Friendly
- Reduce black pepper and chilli powder
- Use less goraka
- Add a small splash of coconut milk
Method
- Clean and cube the young jackfruit. Lightly crush each piece to help absorb the spices.
- In a bowl, mix goraka paste, roasted curry powder, chilli powder, turmeric, black pepper and salt into a thick spice mixture.
- Add jackfruit, sliced onion, slit green chillies, curry leaves, pandan leaf and the spice mixture into a pan.
- Mix well so all pieces are coated evenly.
- Add a small amount of water (just enough to prevent burning, not to create gravy).
- Cook covered on medium heat for 20-25 minutes until the jackfruit softens.
- Stir occasionally and gently press some pieces to release starch.
- Remove the lid and continue cooking on low heat, allowing the liquid to reduce completely.
- Add crushed garlic and a small pinch of sugar.
- Cook until the curry becomes thick, dark and well coated, almost dry.
- Gently shake the pan instead of stirring to keep pieces intact.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest before serving.
To Serve
- With hot steamed rice
- Alongside dhal curry
- With mallum or leafy greens
- With pol sambol for balance
