Рецепт Chakka Varattiyathu - Kerala Recipes
Chakka Varattiyathu - How to make chakka (jackfruit) varattiyathu.
Chakka varattiyathu - Jackfruit halwa - Oh! my the word chakka varattiyathu brings in nostalgic memories of summer holidays of my childhood and this jackfruit sweet still is my favorite Kerala dessert.
Jackfruits and mangoes are indispensable during the summers of Kerala; my father's house at kottayam near the banks of meenachil river, the place I spent many holidays with cousins all around. We used to gang up and steal upplitta manga from "thattumpuram" (attic) and chakka varattiyathu was stored in the ari petti (a box used to store rice) and after all the troubles we might get a spoon or little less of the chakka varattiyathu. Apart from climbing mango trees there are champakka (rose apple) all around ...life in the 70s were fun, full of joy!
In the backyard of my fathers house there will be all sorts of pickles basking in the summer sun and there will be "payu" (a mat) topped with curd marinated bittergourd, salted mangoes, raw tamarind all laid out to dry in the sun and the best thing I like was the "manga thera" known now a days as fruit leather. Tons of mango pulps were spread on top of the mats and sundried and by the time summer is over and we are ready to go back to Trivandrum, I know amma will have packed some "manga thera" too....back home she will cut the mango fruit leather in small piece and toss in freshly grated coconut and give us as a snack.....good old days!
Coming back to chakka varatti, jacfruits are abundant in most backyards and so is used in various forms like making puttu with it or make ada etc. Large quantities of ripened jackfruits are passed on to a basked (which acts as a sieve) to take the pulp and then simmered in a large "urili" (a traditional Kerala utensil) and simmered for hours and hours until it becomes a thick halwa like consistency it can be stored for months and relished.
When I got some jackfruit; I reserved half of it to make chakka varatti; just to satisfy my old nostalgic tastebuds. Of course; I need not fish out my old "uruli" since the seedless fruit weight just a kilo, my heavy bottomed "cheenachatti" wok or kadai will be just perfect.
Jaggery syrup (jaggery is boiled with some water and strained; to remove the impurities) is added according to the sweetness of the fruit. Since I had clean organic jaggery (sharkara) I did not have to trouble to make it into a syrup.
How to make chakka varattiyathu, step by step pictures.
Note: I hope this will give you an idea on how to make chakkavaratti.
I like to pulse the seedless fruit in my mixie and then pop in the kadai (heavy bottomed).
Once it starts to boil, add in the jaggery syrup (I used cleaned ones so I did not have to trouble myself to make into a syrup).
With the flame on medium to low; keep on simmering and stirring it. After about half an hour; the color started changing. I also added ghee and dry ginger powder (chukku podi).
After about 1 hour it actually started to roll into a ball. Allow it to cook down and store in a dry jar. This will keep good for months.
Other Recipes:
Chakka Curry
Chakka Chips
Chakka Kuru Thoran
Chakka Varattiyathu - Kerala Recipes
PREP TIME:
10 mins |
COOK TIME:
1 hour |
AUTHOR::
NISA HOMEY
INGREDIENTS
- Jackfruit (chakka): About 1 kg, deseeded
- Jaggery (sharkara): 300 gms
- Dry ginger powder (chukku podi): 1 tsp
- Cardamom: 5, crushed
- Ghee: 2 tbsp
METHOD:
I lightly pureed the jackruit in my mixie; but that is entirely optinal.
Add the fruit into a large kadai or uruli on medium to low flame allow it cook. Once it starts to boil, add in the jaggery (sharkara) and simmer on low flame stirring now and then until it turns dark brown.
It takes about 1 hour to get the dark color.
Lastly when it is almost done, add in ghee and again mix for a few minutes. Switch off the flame and when cool bottle and store.
This will keep for months.
NOTES
The amount of jaggery varies with the sweetness of the fruit.
Some like to add fried raisins and nuts; though I do not prefer that.
Since I used pure and filtered jaggery, I did not make a syrup and strain.
If you have large quanties of fruit the cooking time may wary. You can make "chakka ada" with this.
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