Chakka Halwa

Memories keep flooding in with Chakka/Jackfruit ...but none to be shared because there are important things to talk about. The tragic flood that hit my native land -Kerala. When people there have lost all of their memories and lifetime savings. They had to helplessly watch their memories getting drained away with the water which gushed into their homes and all that is left now are layers of mud.
It is heartbreaking to see the different shades of green swallowed by the roaring water. When people stand still not knowing where, what and how to start to get life back again. My thoughts are to help at least one flood affected family to buy some/any of their necessary items which they lost. Rays of hope when it flows from many directions would definitely make it brighter.
It was amazing to see how people helped each other in times of hardship when everyone was striving to keep their heads from drowning.  Different religions opened their doors for people from other religious groups to offer prayers, they helped and supported each other without any hesitation, there's no better example to prove communal harmony in Kerala, this state which is otherwise called God's Own Country
As it is now in a stage of recouping, I am sure it will take many years for people to get back to their normal life. I hope  and pray they don't get discouraged and disappointed  instead strengthen their heart and fight to win this challenging situation.

Coming to the recipe for the most delicious Chakka Halwa

I am very satisfied and happy that I tried to make this because am a huge fan of Chakka and the various dishes that they make with it.

Ingredients 
Chakka/ Jackfruits - de seeded 1/2 kg
Jaggery - 350 gms (adjust as per tatse)
Water - 1.5 to 2 cups
Ghee and coconut oil - together half to 3/4th cup (Approx)
Cardamom  - 2-4 no's optional
Dry Ginger powder /Chukku podi - 1/4 tsp (Optional)
Method

• Cook Jackfruit pieces in .5 to 3/4th cup of water(cover and cook in medius heat for 15-20 minutes) stir occasionally. I read about pressure cooking the same in many other blogs, it says it will need more water if you are planning to pressure cook the Jack fruit pieces. Once this is cooked allow to cool.
• In an thick bottom pan, heat jaggery in 1 cup water until melted, strain if need. Pour the strained jaggery syrup into the pan again and turn heat to low.
• Nicely blend cooked jack fruit until no big lumps are seen, add this mixture to the melted jaggery. Turn heat to medium and start to stir and cook.
• After 15 minutes of cooking, add the powder ingredients  if using (chukku podi/dry ginger powder and cardamon) and also add ghee or coconut oil little at a time. I used both ghee and coconut oil to make this. You may use only Ghee if you don't like the taste of coconut oil.
• Continue stirring and cooking this mixture until it turns its color to dark brown, add ghee /oil when ever it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan. It takes at least 1.5 to 2 hours time to get this to a  Halwa consistency, the oil then starts to separate.
• Transfer this to a greased pan and allow to cool, after a few minutes you'll be able to cut these to desired shapes.

To be honest I was disappointed with the quantity of halwa I could make at the end, it was very less than I expected. Making of any Halwa isn't easy, you'll need lots of patience (I am working on it) Thought to give you heads up before you try it...
But the disappointment lasted just for few minutes as this chakka halwa is very sweet and it is really precious :D
if you are a fan of Chakka like me, you should try it :D

Enjoy!

Paalada Payasam

Happy New Year to all my friends in Kerala....I wish to see a Vishu Kani - the first thing that you see on this day which would be a treat to your eyes and heart. On this day I wait for pictures from my Hindu friends who would send this wonderful spread of hope along. Other than this I like to prioritize cleaning my house a day before Vishu and New year for some reason a clean house gives me a sense of satisfaction.

This Vishu is special for me because I have Chakka/ Jackfruits got it from China Town near Salt Lake city, I am not sure If I have posted about my love for this fruit before..I can eat it all day long, I know many people like me who loves the same, also have seen lot of people who hates it for some reason....
I can't understand the reason though :D

Went hunting for this fruit this weekend because for the last few weeks I was tempted seeing picture's of Chakka in whatapp, its the season there and I see in all my whatsapp family- group, pictures of Chakka :(

Thankfully I got it and it was super sweet. We are blessed to have a Jackfruit Tree/ Plaavu at our backyard in my house in Kerala, it bears very sweet chakka I must say, my Achachen/Dad  planted it there as he was also in the chakka lover's club. Last week my Mom was saying she saw in a dream a thief who was stealing Chakka from our tree,  the thief was bold and sincere enough to peep through the window of the bedroom where my mom was sleeping and tell her that he's taking one Chakka, she thought its a dream and she said "Okay"  Lol !! but guess what ?? next day morning she realized that one chakka was indeed missing and it was not her dream....sounds scary?? I was scared too but for few minutes couldn't stop laughing...a "sincere thief" or a Chakka lover

Our own Plaavu / Jackfruit tree :) 

Since I like to celebrate with people their happiness, I made today a special Payasam/Kheer in Kerala made with "Ada" that's pieces of rice batter/ or may call it rice pasta bits, though I haven't tried making it from scratch as its available in any store in Kerala, but I haven't seen it in any Indian store here, so I bring "Ada" from Kerala every time when I visit my place.
Usually Ada Pradaman is the most preferred Payasam/Dessert in Kerala but this one here is simple and easy to make with the fewer ingredients in the recipe.

Here's how I made it

Ingredients
Paalada /Rice Pasta Bits - 3/4 cups
Milk - 1 Liter
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Condensed Milk - 1/2 tin (Optional, use more sugar if not using condensed milk)
Cardamom crushed - 2-3 no's
Ghee/Clarified Butter - 1 tbsp
Nuts and Dry grapes - (Optional) few

Method

• Wash and drain Paalada , soak in little warm water (for 10 minutes)
• Boil milk and reduce heat to low, add the soaked paalada and stir to mix, boil milk with Paalada for 30 minutes in low until its cooked.
• Add Sugar, condensed milk if adding and continue stirring to cook for another 10 minutes
• Switch off the heat when paalada is fully cooked and payasam thickens a little bit.
• Fry the dry fruits in ghee, and this to the cooked payasam along with cardamom powder.

Shhhhh now a secret - follow the packet instructions in the Paalada mix packet like how I did :D I Just added some condensed milk to it and it tasted awesommmmm ....
Wishing once again a prosperous and blessed Malayalam New Year
Cheers
Tara

Fish Mappas -Alappuzha Style

Happy Easter !
Before I begin with Congratulations to me because its almost close to a year now that I have updated this space of mine. Many stories to be written about this past few months when I was hibernating from blogging, my job, toddler, Christmas in India and our nest to manage kept me so busy all these days. Hoping this season of spring brings with it all positive vibes yes " positivity " it is.

This recipe is one which never disappointed me ever, though I am not a fan of "Fish Mappas", I always received a very acceptable review from almost all, to whom I served it and hence thought to re start blogging with something I am very confident in making.

Please do try this dish, you may try it with any fleshy fish , Karimeen (Pearl spot) is what they use in Kerala to make it ,King fish, or Pomfret would be equally good.I tried it this time with Golden Pompano, that's what I could choose from the limited options of fishes here.

And this is how I made it

Ingredients 

For marination 
Pompano fish - 2 whole, sliced to big pieces
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chili Powder  - 1/ 2 tsp
Vinegar - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Other ingredients 
Shallots - hand full sliced
Green chili's - 2 -4 no's
Crushed ginger and garlic - 1 tsp each
Tomatoes - 3 no's ( I used few cherry tomatoes)
Coconut milk - 1 cup each of thick milk and thin milk
Curry leaves - few springs
Coconut oil - 2 - 3  tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Meat Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Masala /Spices - crushed 
Cardamom - 4 no's
Cinnamon - small piece
Cloves - 5 no's

Method

• Marinate fish with the ingredients given under marination keep for 10 to 20 minutes, shallow fry these until just done.
• To the same oil (that was used to fry fish) add the whole spices(given in the ingredients list) , crushed ginger, garlic, green chili's, shallots and curry leaves, saute and fry it until onion turns light brown, add 2 chopped tomatoes and continue sauteing until oil starts to separate
• Add powders - coriander powder, turmeric powder and redchili powder (if using) saute for another 2 minutes in low heat and add enough water (about 2 cups)
• When this starts to boil add shallow fried fish, thin coconut milk and salt, stir and cook in low heat for 7-10 minutes until everything combines
•  Add thick coconut milk cook for just a minute and switch off heat, arrange the sliced tomatoes over the prepared fish curry, curry and sprinkle meat masala powder, keep this closed for 1 to 2 hours before serving.
• Serve Mappas with bread, Paalappom , Chapathi or Rice.

Notes

• May use store bought Meat Masala powder instead of the whole spices listed here
• Add thickness and enhance richness by adding ground cashews (soak few cashes in water and grind it to a thick paste, add this to the curry before adding thick coconut milk)
• Make this recipe look greenish in color by substituting red chili powder with more green chili's in the gravy (I prefer green color, green chili's that I had in stock was super hot and hence I didn't want to take chance this time)

I haven't correctly quantified the ingredients list (I never do it) and hence this might alter little bit, you would want make changes as per your taste ;)

Wishing you all again a very Happy Easter..

Cheers
Tara