Jackfruit Halwa (Chakka Varatti)

Jackfruit halwa is a delectable Indian dessert. It is made from ripe jackfruit, sugar, and ghee. It is flavored with cardamom and nuts. This sweet treat showcases the unique taste and texture of jackfruit. It blends the fruit’s natural sweetness with the richness of the other ingredients.

Using this “Chakka Varatti” (Jackfruit Jam), we can prepare “Chakka Pradhaman”. You can also make “Ilai Adai”, “Kozhukattai”, and many other dishes. It all depends on one’s own choice. I have just prepared this with one cup of paste. If you want to preserve it for more time, then buy a whole jackfruit or use more jackfruit segments.

How to make

This halwa, also known as Chakka Varatti, is a delicious Indian sweet made from ripe jackfruit. To prepare it, start by deseeding and chopping the jackfruit into small pieces. Cook the pieces with water until soft, then blend them into a fine paste. Measure the paste and mix it with an equal amount of powdered jaggery. Dissolve the jaggery in water. Strain it. Then combine it with the jackfruit paste in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens and starts to pull away from the pan. At this point, stir in ghee, cardamom powder, and fried cashew nuts for added flavor and texture. Finally, transfer the halwa to a bowl and enjoy this sweet treat!

Jackfruit Halwa Recipe

Jackfruit Halwa (Chakka Varatti)

Recipe by S Kamala

Course: SweetsCuisine: Indian, KeralaDifficulty: Medium

Servings

5

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

This halwa is made with jackfruit and jaggery. 

Ingredients

• Jackfruit – 10 to 15 pieces

• Powdered jaggery -1 cup

• Cardamom powder -1/2 tsp

• Ghee -1 to 2 teaspoon

• Cashew nuts – few

Directions

• Chop the jackfruit segments into small pieces after deseeding them.
• Add 1/4 cup water and pressure cook it for one whistle or microwave it for few seconds. We can also cook it in an open vessel for few minutes in a low heat. Remove from the stove and allow to cool. Put it in a blender and make a fine paste.
• Measure this paste. We have to add equal amount of jaggery powder. For the above quantity we will get one cup paste. So put one cup powdered jaggery in a thick bottomed vessel and add 1/4 cup water and bring to boil. Once the jaggery is completely melted, remove and strain it.
• In a kadai (preferably non-stick kadai) add the jackfruit paste and add the jaggery syrup. Keep the stove in medium/low flame and stir continuously till both the paste and jaggery syrup blend well.
• Allow to cook till it become semi solid and leaves the kadai without sticking.
• At this stage add a teaspoon of ghee and mix it well.
• Finally add cardamom powder and fried cashew nuts and mix it well. Remove and transfer to a bowl.

Notes

• If we keep this on the stove for some more time and stir it continuously till it become solid. We can preserve it for more days. And it is called “Chakka Varatti”. For this no need to add cashew nuts. But we can add a pinch of “Dry Ginger Powder”.