Chakka Varatti Recipe | Chakka Varattiyathu with step-by-step pics and a short Youtube video. If you like my video, please do SUBSCRIBE to my channel ‘Asmallbite’. Chakka Varatti is nothing but a Jackfruit Preserve or may be called jam or halwa prepared with ripe jackfruits, ghee, and jaggery, a very popular delicacy from Kerala cuisine. Chakka” is a Malayalam word that means Jackfruit and “Varatti” means to cook until there is no moisture content. Generally, this jackfruit preserve is made during the peak jackfruit season and is stored for the future to make Chakka Pradhaman/Jackfruit Kheer. The interesting fact is, the authentic jackfruit kheer is made using this chakka varati only. But I have shared a method of preparing jackfruit kheer with fresh jackfruits (do check it). The best part is that the jackfruit preserve stays good for months, if handled properly, and can be quickly turned into a kheer, Appam, Ada etc.
Continue reading for more interesting facts, tips, and FAQ
Check my other Kerala Recipes like
1. Chakka Pradhaman / Jackfruit Kheer
2. Chakka Appam / Jackfruit Appam
3. Sarkara Varatti
4. Kerala Parippu Pradhaman
5. Broken Wheat Kheer/ Gothambu Payasam
Jackfruit Preserve
Chakka Varatti Recipe | Chakka Varattiyathu
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Kadai / Pan
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250 ML, 1 tsp = 5 ML
- 2 Cups Jackfruit
- 1½ to 2 Cups Jaggery
- ¼ Cup Ghee
Instructions
- Jack Fruit (2 Cups):Rinse the jackfruit well and deseed it. Remove the fiber inside and chop it (I blended it so chopped it roughly)Quick Tips: Chop it very finely, to skip the grinding/blending part (continue reading more for the method)Notes: Use sweet and ripe jackfruit for a tasty chakka varatti recipe.
- Jaggery (1.5 Cups)Measure 1.5 cups of crushed jaggery or jaggery powder and keep aside. The color of the chakka varatti changes accordingly to the type of jaggery used.Quick Tips: Increase or decrease the jaggery, depending on the sweetness of the fruit.Notes:- Use good quality jaggery, which is dark in color and it forms a thick syrup too.- Ghee acts as the preservative here, so use good quality one.
- Blending/Grinding the Jackfruit: To a mixer/blender, add the chopped jackfruit pieces.Alternate Methods:- Saute the chopped jackfruit pieces in ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan till they are cooked and mushy.- Add very little water and pressure cook the jackfruit pieces for 3 whistles until nicely cooked.
- Then, grind it smoothly without adding any water. If there are little whole jackfruit pieces, it is okay.
- Filtering the Jaggery: To a pan, add the jaggery.
- Now, pour water, just immersing level is enough.
- Mix until the jaggery dissolves completely. Heat in low flame, till the jaggery thickens a bit, no string consistency is required.Notes: But you can heat till 1 string consistency, which fastens the final process.
- Filter the jaggery directly over the other pan. Use a heavy-bottomed or nonstick pan, to avoid burning at the bottom.Notes: Filtering the jaggery is a must to remove the dirt particles.
- Heat the filtered jaggery for 3 minutes on a low flame.
- Now, add the ground jackfruit puree.
- Stir very well, so that the jaggery juice and the jackfruit puree blends well. Do the whole process on a very low flame, to avoid the bottom getting burnt.
- Once the mixture gets blended well, cover it with a lid as it splutters too much. I used a lid with a small hole, if you don't have that type of lid, cover it partially. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to thicken and do the stirring at regular intervals.
- Once the mixture becomes thicker, add ghee at regular intervals.Notes: Never add ghee before the mixture thickens else it will need and absorb more ghee.
- Keep stirring in low flame till all the ghee are nicely incorporated with the jackfruit-jaggery mixture.
- When the mixture started to roll like a ball that is without sticking to the sides of the pan or leaves the sides of the pan, switch off the flame immediately. Don't cook furthermore, else it turns hard and chewy. It thickens with time but first, it may look a little goey, so be alert at this stage.
- Once it cools down, transfer it to a clean and dry container. Use a sterilized, dry spoon every time for longer shelf life.Notes: Stays good for 1 month under refrigeration.Try this Chakka Varattiyathu Recipe for Vishu or Onam festival.
Video
Notes
Tips for Chakka Varattiyathu
1. Use fresh, well ripe, and sweet jackfruit for a tasty Chakka Varatti Recipe. 2. I chopped the jackfruit pieces roughly and then pureed/ground them. 3. To skip the grinding part / Alternate methods: -Saute the chopped jackfruit pieces in ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan till they are cooked and mushy. -Add very little water and pressure cook the jackfruit pieces for 3 whistles until nicely cooked. 4. Use good quality jaggery, which is dark in color and it forms a thick syrup 5. Increase or decrease the jaggery, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. 6. The color of the jackfruit preserve varies on the type of jackfruit and jaggery used. 7. Always filter the jaggery to remove the sand and dirt particles. 8. Use a heavy-bottomed or non-stick pan and do the whole process in low flame to avoid the Chakka Varattiyathu burning at the bottom. 9. No string consistency is required for this recipe. Still, you can go ahead with 1 string consistency, which quickens the final process. 10. This Chakka Varatti splutters too much, so stay at a safe distance or cover it with a lid. 11. Ghee acts as a preservative here, so good quality or branded one. 12. Never add ghee before the mixture thickens else it will need and absorb more ghee. 13. When the mixture started to roll like a ball that is without sticking to the sides of the pan or leaves the sides of the pan, switch off the flame immediately. Don't cook furthermore, else it turns hard and chewy. It thickens with time but first, it may look a little goey, so be alert at this stage. 14. It stays good for 1 month under refrigeration if properly handled. Once it cools down, transfer it to a clean and dry container. Use a sterilized, dry spoon every time for longer shelf life.
Chakka Varattiyathu Recipe
Method for Chakka Varatti Recipe
1. Jack Fruit (2cups):
Rinse the jackfruit well and deseed it. Remove the fiber inside and chop it (I blended it so chopped it roughly)
Quick Tips: Chop it very finely, to skip the grinding/blending part (continue reading more for the method)
Notes: Use sweet and ripe jackfruit for a tasty chakka varatti recipe.
2. Jaggery (1.5cups)
Measure 1.5 cups of crushed jaggery or jaggery powder and keep aside. The color of the chakka varatti changes accordingly to the type of jaggery used.
Quick Tips: Increase or decrease the jaggery, depending on the sweetness of the fruit.
Notes:
-Use good quality jaggery, which is dark in color and it forms a thick syrup too.
–Ghee acts as the preservative here, so use good quality one.
3. Blending/Grinding the Jackfruit: To a mixer/blender, add the chopped jackfruit pieces.
Alternate Methods:
– Saute the chopped jackfruit pieces in ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan till they are cooked and mushy.
– Add very little water and pressure cook the jackfruit pieces for 3 whistles until nicely cooked.
4. Then, grind it smoothly without adding any water. If there are little whole jackfruit pieces, it is okay.
5. Filtering the Jaggery: To a pan, add the jaggery.
6. Now, pour water, just immersing level is enough.
7. Mix until the jaggery dissolves completely. Heat in low flame, till the jaggery thickens a bit, no string consistency is required.
Notes: But you can heat till 1 string consistency, which fastens the final process.
8. Filter the jaggery directly over the other pan. Use a heavy-bottomed or nonstick pan, to avoid burning at the bottom.
Notes: Filtering the jaggery is a must to remove the dirt particles.
9. Heat the filtered jaggery for 3 minutes on a low flame.
10. Now, add the ground jackfruit puree.
11. Stir very well, so that the jaggery juice and the jackfruit puree blends well. Do the whole process on a very low flame, to avoid the bottom getting burnt.
12. Once the mixture gets blended well, cover it with a lid as it splutters too much. I used a lid with a small hole, if you don’t have that type of lid, cover it partially. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to thicken and do the stirring at regular intervals.
13. Once the mixture becomes thicker, add ghee at regular intervals.
Notes: Never add ghee before the mixture thickens else it will need and absorb more ghee.
14. Keep stirring in low flame till all the ghee are nicely incorporated with the jackfruit-jaggery mixture.
15. When the mixture started to roll like a ball that is without sticking to the sides of the pan or leaves the sides of the pan, switch off the flame immediately. Don’t cook furthermore, else it turns hard and chewy. It thickens with time but first, it may look a little goey, so be alert at this stage.
Once it cools down, transfer it to a clean and dry container. Use a sterilized, dry spoon every time for longer shelf life.
Notes: Stays good for 1 month under refrigeration.
Try this Chakka Varattiyathu Recipe for Vishu or Onam festival.
Chakka Varatti Recipe
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Welcome to my blog www.asmallbite.com. Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you’re enjoying my recipes to make the taste forever. I am Priya Santhamohan, writer and photographer (with hubby’s help) of this blog. 
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