Chakka Kottai Aviyal | Jackfruit Seeds Aviyal | Onam Sadhya Recipes

I have fond memories for this dish, very fond memories indeed. Memories of my hometown, my paternal home and my childhood. I still remember the day when me, amma and my cousin brother planted our very first jack fruit sapling. How we tendered it, watered it and watch it grow into a mighty strong tree in front of our very eyes. The day we got our first fruit was very emotional indeed. That was when I understood that hardwork pays.

The tree is strong still and is yielding the best of the fruits around our place. The jackfruit from our tree is sweet and I have heard a neighbour saying that it tastes just like honey. I am not exaggerating here, really, I have seen people queuing in front of ur house as soon as our tree bears its first fruit for the season. So when amma called me up yesterday, that we had the first fruit of the season and she was gonna make chakka kotta aviyal for Onam, I so missed home, my jackfruit tree and amma. I love this aviyal to the core, its so tasty that I can have the entire bowl for myself. These photos were taken last year using my P&S with the flash on and so I had kept it aside not wanting to share it in my blog. But then I have to wait for another year to get the perfect clicks (when I go home for vacation) and I so wanted to share the recipe here (thanks to the nostalgic memories) that I am not bothered about the light, flash, lighting etc.

~*What U Need*~ Chakka kottai - 2 cups Onions - 1, finely sliced Tomato - 1, sliced Chilli pwdr - 1/2 tsp Salt, Oil To temper: Coconut oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - 2 sprigs Urad dhal - 1 tsp To grind: Coconut - 1/2 cup Cumin - 1 tsp Peppercorns - 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - 1 sprig Garlic - 1 clove Turmeric powder - a pinch Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp How I Made it: Wash the jack fruit seeds and dry for 2 days. Peel the skin and slice into thin strips. Keep immersed in water. Take all the ingredients under to grind and grind to a coarse paste, set aside. In a kadai, heat coconut oil, temper with mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves. Add the sliced onions and when brown, add the tomatoes and cook. Now add the jackfruit seeds, add some water and cook till the seeds are soft and done. Add the coconut paste and mix well. Season with salt and cook till the raw smell of coconut goes off. Remove from flame.

Serve with rice!!!

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!

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Chakka Pradhaman / Jackfruit Payasam | Thiruvonam Recipes

I am neither a Keralite nor a Malayali but the place I come from celebrates Onam to the core... Yeah I hail from Nagercoil which can be described as an extension of Kerala. Originally it was a part of Kerala and was ruled over by the Travancore Maharajas but then I am not sure of the exact year, the place was brought under Tamil Nadu. Can you believe that when we were in school, we were given a holiday for this happening??? Good Ol' schooldays...
Nagercoil is just as serenic as Kerala, experiences the showers of both Kerala and TN (i.e., South-west and North-east monsoons) and is a cultural mix of both the states. We celebrate Onam and we donot forget Pongal. So the traditional athapookalam and onam sadya is followed in most of the households. (Want to read more about the place: click here)

The huss opposes everytime I say that I am gonna make the traditional Onam Sadya recipes to celebrate Onam (..since marriage). But I just cant give up celebrating it. So here I am this time with the traditional Chakka Pradhaman... Made from the Jack fruit that was shipped "trained" over by Dad when Mom came down here. "Oh how I love eating the ripened cholas from the fruit of our very own tree"... The jack fruit back home is overly sweet by itself and hence I decreased the addition of jaggery but 1/4 cup by what I have given here is the correct quantity for normal fruits.
Traditionally Chakka Pradhaman is made from Chakka varatti ~ an halwa made out of mashed jackfruit and jaggery and ample amount of ghee... This is then thinned out using coconut milk and then used in the pradhaman. This varatti has a long shelf life and hence the Keralites prepare this when jack fruits are in abundance(..it being a seasonal fruit)... But the recipe given here is a fool-proof one with no chakka varatti and can be made with ripened cholas.

~*What U Need*~ Chakka chola / Ripe Jackfruit - 12 pieces Jaggery - 1/2 cup Thin coconut milk - 1/4 cup(optional) Thick Coconut milk - 3/4 cup Ghee - 3 tsp Cashewnuts - 3 tsp, broken Cardamom powder - a pinch / Crushed cardamom - 2 pods

How I Made it:
Pressure cook the jackfruit pieces with required water for 2 whistles or until soft. Cool, drain water and then grind to a fine paste. Set this aside. Heat ghee and fry cashews till golden brown.
Mix jaggery with 1/4 cup water, bring it to a boil so that the jaggery melts completely, cool and strain. In a pan, heat the remaining ghee, add the jackfruit paste to this and fry for 1 min. Add the jaggery syrup, mix well and heat till it comes to a boil. Cook till it becomes thick and then add coconut milk and give a quick stir. Add the fried cashews and cardamom and give it a stir. Switch off flame.

** My Notes:
** If you want it to be thin then add the thin coconut milk before adding the thicker one, allow it to boil and then add the thick coconut milk and give it a stir and then remove from flame. However this pradhaman is best when served thick.
** If you boil the mixture after adding the thick coconut milk, the mixture will curdle so be careful on this part.

Serve it warm or cold!!!

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!

Interested!!! Click to read more...