So !? One of my New Year resolutions for 2019 is to bring my blog out of a year long hibernation. The recipe that is going to revive my blog out of its dormancy is a traditional sweet of Kerala - "Chakka Varatti" which in the human readable language is simply "Jackfruit Jam"
Though I had wanted to make this and post it in my blog from a long long time, I couldn't do so reasonably sooner, because - we do not find good quality jackfruits in the USA & even if we do, I am not adept in opening a jackfruit like the way it is shown in a song in the Pithamagan movie :P
As a workaround, when I went to India last time, I tookup the project, yesss you heard me right ! 'The Project' of making Jackfruit Jam, so called Chakka Varatti. I remember those good old days when my grandma was hale and healthy and would make this recipe during most of the summer holidays when my cousins used to visit us at Pondicherry. (Yes of course, I found a way to bring my hometown into the blog) She used to put a spoon of Chakka Varatti on our palm and we used happily lick it clean !!
Wish you all a very happy, healthy, prosperous and successful New Year 2019 !!
Over to the recipe now !
Prep Time: 45 mins || Cook Time: 45 mins || Category: Jams/Spreads/Sweets || Serves: Depends on how much one eats !
Ingredients:
1. Jackfruit flesh - 70 to 80 pieces
2. Jaggery syrup - equal amount as that of ground jackfruit flesh.
3. Ghee - 4 to 6 tbsp
4. Cardamom powder - 2 tsp
Method:
1. Smear gingelly oil on the palm and cut open the whole jackfruit to separate the jackfruit flesh individually & de-seed them. Chop the jackfruit flesh into fine pieces (if not grinding) / into coarse pieces (if grinding).
2. Pressure cook the fruit pieces for 2-3 whistles, sprinkling some water just enough for it to be cooked. Allow it to cool completely and then grind it to a fine paste.
3. Meanwhile make sugar syrup by adding water just to immerse the jaggery. Filter the jaggery syrup to remove impurities. let the syrup come to 1 string consistency.
4. Add in the jackfruit paste to the jaggery syrup and mix well stirring constantly.
5. Keep stirring till it reduces in volume, starts to bubble and become glazy. Add a spoon of ghee periodically and keep stirring till it is cooked completely and forms a thick sticky mass. Add cardamom powder & switch off the flame after mixing well.
Suggestions:
- Use dark colored jaggery to get the perfect color.
- Adding cardamom is optional.
- In the traditional method, the fruit flesh is chopped to fine pieces and added directly to the jaggery syrup and mashed well while stirring.
- Getting a few small pieces of the fruit here and there gives a good texture to the jam.
- Add ghee generously till the jam glazes.
- Tastes more delicious after 1-2 days after the jam is made.
- Keeps well in the room temperature for about a week. Use a clean and dry spoon when handling.
- Can be frozen or refrigerated & used in Payasam / Ilai Adai etc.
I blindly have an impression that a jam is always by default - a mixed fruit jam. Because I always go for a mixed fruit kissan jam though there are special jams from solo fruits, which I have never bothered to buy. The visual appeal of a jam, as per me is convincing only if it is dark red in colour :P Having the same thought, I started making this mixed fruit jam and then realized at a point that, the colour depends on the combination of the fruits, unless otherwise a specific artificial colouring agent is used !!!
Some of our friends, when they visited our house during Golu, brought in a variety of fruits, which kindled my interest to try a mixed fruit jam. So here comes the recipe without any preservatives or artificial colours.
Prep Time: 20 mins || Cook Time: 40 mins || Yields: 2 jars + little more || Category: Jam / Fruit Jam
Ingredients:
1. Very ripe banana - 2
2. Grapes (red/green) - 25
3. Red Apple - 1 or 2
4. Green Apple - 1
5. Pear - 1
6. Strawberry - 12 to15
7. Sugar - 200 gms (may vary as per the fruits used)
8. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp (optional)
Method:
1. Wash all the fruits and chop them roughly.
2. Grind the fruits in a blender into a smooth paste in batches without adding water. Can add a spoon of sugar if desired.
3. Mix all the fruit pulp in a saucepan and heat it in medium flame for 10 mins.
4. Add sugar and mix well. Cook in medium flame for 15-20 mins with periodical stirring.
5. After a while, scum (froth) starts to form on the surface after the added sugar dissolves.
6. Remove the formed scum periodically and discard it. Continue boiling in medium flame for 10 more mins. The mixture will turn slightly glossy and start spluttering vigorously. At this stage test the consistency of the jam by spreading it in a plate taken from freezer. If it does not ooze down and stands sticky and still, that is the right consistency. If not, boil for few more mins and then switch off the flame.
Suggestions:
- Any combination of fruits can be used, based on the availability.
- If adding lemon juice, it is better to add after switching off the flame and the heat has subsided a little. Otherwise lemon juice will add a bitter taste to the jam when heated for a long time.
- I have skipped lemon juice, as the pectin in the fruits will act as preservative & also as I will consume the jam within a short period.
- Citric acid can also be added instead of lemon juice for preservation.
- Can add a small piece of beetroot while grinding the fruits, for a bright red colour.
- The amount of sugar varies as per the sweetness of the fruits used.
- Can also use artificial food colour too.
I enjoyed the artificial colouring agent free, preservative-free, gelatin-free home made jam with bread, roti and variety of other foods :)
