Microwaved Jack fruit Jam

Vacation brings along with it the sweet smell of all those ripe fruits in the back yard . Even though now there is no back yard and no friends to roam around the smell of all those preserved foods are enough to carry us back to that time .

I remember the taste of mangoes , coconut slices (kopra ) , tamarind , lemon ( vaduka puli ) drying in long sheets under the sun . We used to steal them in the afternoon when every body would be busy taking naps :)  And all those smells are invariably associated with the word ' Vacation ' !

One of my other favourite smell is that of Jack fruit jam or in other words 'Chakka Varattiyathu ' . And I made some a few days before . I followed the guidelines given by my Aunt . She is well known for her short cuts . My mother and my Aunt are my Gurus when it comes to culinary skills . They are as different as they can be . Yet , I always try to combine both their skills in my kitchen . My mother's dedication , passion and overflowing love when she cooks and my Aunt's efficiency , time management , short cuts and orderliness .

Here is an absolutely easy recipe for making 'Chakka varatti ' . An alltime favourite of Mallus.



Things you would need

Ripe Jack fruit flesh ( as much as you can get )

Scraped jaggery

ghee

eliachi ( cardomom )

Method

Grind the jack fruit in a mixer . Microwave it with lid on in High for 3-4 minutes . Mix the scraped jaggery . Microwave for another 2-3 minutes ( with out lid ) . Add ghee and powdered eliachi and mix well . Microwave in Medium for 5-6 minutes or even more according to the consistency you need . Take out and mix it with a spoon in between .

Enjoy as such or as bread spread . Store in refrigerator for further use .