Chakka Varatti or Jackfruit Preserve is made with ripe jackfruits, ghee and jaggery.Generally this jackfruit preserve is made during jackfruit season and is stored for future use."Chakka" is a Malayasam word which means Jackfruit and "Varatti" means to cook until there is no moisture content.This jackfruit delicacy is very popular in Kerala , they use this preserve to make chakka varatti payasam.I have already posted chakka pradhaman which is made with fresh jackfruits and I am a big fan of it. I love jackfruit and anything made out it so this chakka varatti has easily become my favorite now.
Chakka Varatti Recipe - Ingredients
Preparation Time : 15 mins | Cooking Time : 30 mins | Makes : 1 cup
Recipe Category: Sweet | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Recipe Category: Sweet | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Jackfruit puree - 2 cups(I used 10 jackfruits)
Jaggery - 2 cups
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Method:
- Soak jaggery in warm water(till immersing level) , crush it well. Then heat it up until it is slightly thick (no string consistency needs to be checked).Strain and keep aside.
- I took 10 big pieces of jackfruit.Slit each piece with a knife and take out the seed along with a fleshy layer, discard it.
- I love the jackfruit seeds curry so always reserve them.Now chop jackfruit roughly.This step is purely optional, as mine was big I chopped them so that its easy to grind.
- Grind it to a smooth paste without adding water.I did it in batches, collect them in a boil measure and set aside.Take a heavy bottomed kadai / pan add strained jaggery syrup to it and let it to boil for few mins until its thick more like to honey in consistency.
- Now add jackfruit puree and mix well, I used my whisk.Let it boil in low flame.It will splutter so be a safe distance.
- It may take atleast 10-12mins for the moisture to leave, it will get thick first.When it starts to thicken add ghee at intervals.Keep mixing.
- Keep cooking and stirring.When it sticks add ghee.It will take another 10mins to reach the rolling ball consistency.At one stage, it will not stick to the pan and come together as rolling ball, this is the right stage, switch off.
My Notes:
- It thickens after cooling, it may look a little goey when switched off but after cooling down will become thick.The next day it will become even more thicker.I refrigerated half of it and used it up the next day.
- Choose nice ripe jackfruit.
- When jackfruit puree is added, it will splutter while boiling so be at a safer distance and keep stirring in between.
- Use a heavy bottomed pan for making this, I used my kadai.
- My jackfruit pieces were quite big so I chopped them and then grinded it.You can directly pure them too.
- Add ghee only when it starts to thicken else it will need and absorb more ghee.
- If handled properly, you can refrigerate and use for 2 weeks or even more.
- For the authentic dark brown color, use a darker shade jaggery though tastewise no difference.
