Jack fruit jam

 An authentic Kerala delicacy made from ripe jack-fruit, ghee & jaggery, it's made in jack-fruit season to preserve it....Years ago grandmothers used to cook jack-fruit jam in large quantity in a heavy bottomed metal pot/ urali  & preserve it for 1 year & those days it was never refrigerated..  
Preserving jack-fruit is a test of tolerance to begin with but it's worth it... When it's finally finished cooking the heavenly scent of jaggery, ghee & jack-fruit is awesome 😋If you are cooking in large quantity the hours of stirring becomes a therapy & turns it into a blob of flavorful mixture😊
My recipe is of 500 gm jack-fruit you can double it,my cousin cooks it every year & preserves it & later on she makes ella ada/ patholi, payasam etc..It's finger licking recipe when i prepared this i almost finished  by eating as such at the time of preparation itself 👌

Ingredients :

• 500 gm jack fruit pulp.
• 1/4 cup ghee.
• 1&1/4 cup water.
• 200 gm jaggery.
• 1/4 tsp  dry ginger powder.
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder.

Method :

• Deseed the jack-fruit & chop them..

• Grind the jackfruit to a coarse paste, place it in a pan ( non-stick pan is much easier) add 1 & 1/4 cup water & cook on medium flame..

• Mean while heat another pan add the jaggery, 1/2 cup water & let it melt..

• Once the water is absorbed add the melted jaggery( strain it)..

• Cook on medium heat,stirring to avoid burning, when it starts thickening add ghee, ginger powder, cardamom powder... 

• Continue stirring till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan & ghee oozes out..
• Remove from flame & let it cool. 

• Transfer into clean dry bottle & refrigerate, delicious jackfruit is ready..
• Eat as it is or make ella ada or payasam 😋  

Note : This preserve stays for a long time if used with care.... 

Raw Jackfruit Stir Fry / Thoran

Comes the jack fruit season & the menu would be anything from thoran  to chips especially in Kerala it's thoran , curry, Errissary,etc... 
Jack fruit  is fat-free & high in fiber & potassium, it's fairly low in calories too..But the cleaning process is a bit messy especially the young raw fruit, you cut into it & it's literally like glue is pouring out of the fruit it;s a real pain to cut the fruit, but every thing is worth to have a jack fruit dish, it's best to make your dad, brother or your husband  😀to cut this fruit, have lot's of news paper handy & oil your hands & knife before cutting the fruit..

Raw jack fruit stir -fry/ thoran refers to any kind of dry recipe , mildly spiced  & flavored with fresh coconut....Try it;s healthy & tasty.. 😋 You can even make → Errissary instead of raw banana u can add jack fruit..

Ingredients :

• 500 gm raw jack fruit.
• 30 gm shallots / sambar onions.
• 1/3 cup grated coconut.
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
• A pinch of hing / asafoetida.
• 1 tsp coriander powder.
• 1/2 tsp jeera powder.
• 2 cloves garlic.
• 1/4 tsp grated ginger.
• 1 tsp salt or according to your taste.
• 2 tsp chilly powder or according to your taste.

Seasoning : 2 tbsp coconut oil. 1 tbsp mustard seeds, 6 crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp jeera / cumin seeds, few curry leaves, 2 red dry chilies.

• The difficult part before touching raw jack fruit spread news papers & grease your hands & knife or use gloves...
• Remove the pulp & add to a bowl of water mixed with buttermilk or turmeric, rinse it well & chop into small pieces...
• Pressure cook the jack fruit pieces in 2 cups of water turmeric powder, hing / asafoetida, chilly powder, salt,coriander powder& ginger to 2-3 whistles then of the flame.
• Meanwhile Coarsely grind  the shallots, grated coconut & garlic, 

• Once the pressure is down open the lid & add the coarsely ground coconut.

• Mix well & cook till nearly dry..
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in another pan add the mustard seeds when it stops crackling add the jeera, garlic,curry leave & the red chilies( cut in two pieces) saute till garlic s brown..
• Pour into the jack fruit mixture & simmer till dry.

• This delicious jack fruit stir-fry is ready... Serve hot with steamed rice... don't miss it 😋