Jackfruit season is here…

The air is filled with the smell of ripe jackfruits.

This is a fruit which was originated in South India. It literally belongs to Kerala. The word ‘Jackfruit’ also comes from the Malayalam word ‘Chakka’. Actually the Portuguese modified this ‘Chakka’ into ‘Jaca’ when they first arrived in Kerala. ‘Jaca’ later became ‘Jackfruit’ in English.

There are two kinds of Jackfruit (Chakka in Malayalam)- varikka and koozha. ‘Varikka Chakka’ will be having a solid fleshy part while the ‘Koozha Chakka’ will be of soft- semi solid flesh. But both are tasty :-).

Chakka can be used in any stage of its life. Both ripe fruit and young fruit can be used for making various dishes.

A wonderful thing about Chakka is that, we can use every part of it except the spiny outer cover. Every other part can be used for making tasty dishes…even the seeds…

 Here is a great recipe for all Jackfruit lovers…

Chakka Ada –a sweet dish made with Jackfruit and Jaggery

In normal cases, this dish is prepared using  rice powder. But this is more tastier and softer if we use sooji rava instead of rice powder.

Ingredients:-

Jackfruit  (only the fleshy part)– as much as you like

Jaggery (karutha Sharkara) – quantity of jaggery is according to how much sweetness you want for the dish. So add according to your taste

Cardamom seeds – 5 or 6  (crushed )

Coconut- ¼ of the Jackfruit you have taken

Sooji Rava (white)- ½ of Jackfruit you have taken 

Salt - a pinch

Vazhana leaves (Bay leaves)or Banana leaves- as required

Cooking Instructions:-

Take the fleshy part of the Jackfruit.

Remove the seed and cut it into smaller pieces. 

Mash this into a paste using a mixer grinder.

Crush the jaggery into powder.

Add jaggery, cardamom (crushed) , grated coconut, salt and sooji rava into the mashed Jackfruit.

Mix well with hand (Consistency of the batter is given in the below picture). Make sure no clumps are there (Add water if necessary).

This has to be wrapped with either vazhana leaves or banana leaves. Vazhana leaves have a close likeness to Cinnamon leaves. But they are not same.

I have used vazhana leaves here. If you are using banana leaves, first cut it into small pieces.

Take small portions of this batter and wrap it in the vazhana leaves. I am not that much talented in the case of wrapping. You can do a better job by making a the leaf into a cone first and filling it with batter.

Now we have to steam it in a vessel (You can use a idli vessel).

Fill water in the idli vessel. Place the idli stand. Stack the batter wrapped in leaves on the idli stand.

Close the lid of the vessel and Steam it, steam it, steam it for nearly 45 mins to 1 hr.

 Here is the delicious chakka ada…. It is more delicious when served hot.