Chakka Pradhaman / Jackfruit Payasam





Chakka Pradhaman is an authentic kerala dish made using very few ingredients available at any keralite's kitchen. The main ingredient for Chakka Pradhaman is chakka varatti or jack fruit jam. Chakka varatti is usually made during the end of summer season when jackfruits are in plenty and people store it by taking the jackfruit flesh and reducing it on a thick bottomed vessel called uruli by mixing enough ghee and jaggery. At the end you get a dark brown coloured jackfruit jam commonly known as chakka varatti which can be stored for months in a clean air tight jar.

Now for our recipe.... Chakka pradhaman is made for any occassion like any other payasam or pradhaman. Today was special as it was my dear mom's birthday. So i thought of celebrating this special day with something prepared by her. So here we go....

Ingredients:

Chakka Varatti                              1 cup

Jaggery                                          2-3 blocks or 250 grams or as per taste

Coconut Milk (From 1 coconut)

      3rd extract/Moonampal            1 cup
      2nd extract/Randaampal           1 cup
      1st extract/Onnampal               1/2 cup

Cardamom Powder                        1/4  tsp
Dry Ginger Powder                        1/4  tsp

Jeera/Cumin Powder                      1/4  tsp

Coconut cut into small pieces         1  tbsp

(Thengakothu)

Cashewnuts                                   10

Raisins                                           1  tbsp

Ghee                                              1 tbsp

Method:

For Coconut Milk

Add hot water to grated coconut, blend for a minute and squeeze it for 1st extract.
Add 1 cup of hot water to the coconut again and blend and squeeze for 2nd extract.
Repeat this for 3rd extract.

For Chakka Pradhaman

Melt the jaggery in 1/4 cup of water and strain it to remove fine sand particles.

Heat 3rd extract coconut milk in a thick bottomed pan (like uruli) and add the jaggery.

Add chakka varatti and mix well to dissolve it in coconut milk.

Keep stirring. Reduce flame when the mixture thickens and boils.

Add 2nd milk and allow to boil again stirring continuously for 8-10 minutes.

Finally add the 1st milk. Keep stirring and cook for only few minutes till it just starts boiling.

Turn off the flame and add dry ginger powder, cardamom powder and jeera powder.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry coconut pieces, cashewnuts and raisins separately and pour over the pradhaman.

Cover with a lid for 10 minutes and that's it - you don't have to wait any more - just indulge in it.