Jackfruit has a special place in Kerala’s food. There is no part of it that isn’t consumed. Its seeds are used as a vegetable. Its raw flesh goes into a biryani or it is cooked with delicate spices and eaten with crushed chillies in coconut oil. When it ripens, it becomes the base for delicacies like pradhaman (payasam), halwa and more. Chakka Vevichathu is one of the many jackfruit delicacies. It was made regularly at my home when I was growing up, which has imbued it with nostalgia.

  • Serves

    2

  • Cook Time

    40m

Ingredients

  • 20 pieces chakka (raw jackfruit flesh)
  • 10 kandhari chillies
  • 5 shallots
  • 1 strip curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 cup grated coconut
  • Salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Crush the coconut with cumin seeds, shallots, kandhari chillies and curry leaves. Keep aside.
  2. Slice the jackfruit pieces into a cooking vessel, add turmeric powder and about 1 cup of water. Stir well.
  3. Place back the lid of the cooking vessel and cook the jackfruit on medium flame for 15 minutes.
  4. When the chakka is cooked well, remove the lid and stir further. Move some of the pieces in the centre to the side to create a gap. Place the crushed coconut mix there and cover the coconut with cooked chakka again.
  5. Cook for another 5 minutes on very low flame.
  6. Add some coconut oil into this mix and stir well. Chakka Vevichathu is ready to serve.
Regi Mathew

Regi Mathew

Regi Mathew, co-owner and culinary director of Kappa Chakka Kandhari in Chennai and Bengaluru, is Scroll Food’s Chef of the Month for September. His culinary career, which began with the Taj Group of Hotels, has taken him to several countries, where he has learnt many cuisines. After 25 years in the F&B industry, he decided to closely explore the cuisine of his home state, Kerala. For three years, he travelled through the state, researching its food, and working with 265 housewives and 70 toddy shops, some of whom are now part of the restaurant’s kitchen. He has won several accolades in his career, including being adjudged the Chef of the Year at the Times Food Awards, Chennai, in 2018.

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