Jackfruit Payasam (Chakka Pradhaman)

Lately, jackfruits have grown increasingly popular due to their hypoglycaemic property, and the flour made using unpalatable jackfruit fibers storms into the kitchens across the globe. Nevertheless jackfruit trees were the most commonly grown trees in South India. We grew up relishing sweet jackfruit bulbs during summer vacations. Each summer reminds me of the ceremonious preparation of jackfruit at my grandmother’s kitchen that was filled with a unique fruity fragrance. Even today, we don’t miss to relish these sweetest luscious fruit bulbs and the most delicious fruit dessert, jackfruit payasam (chakka pradhaman), every summer.

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New Year with fruits:

Tamil New Year, Chithirai Vishu, is synonymous with luscious golden fruits (mukkani) viz., jackfruit, mango, and banana. We celebrate our New Year in the mid of April. New Year is celebrated during the same period in many other states in India like Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, etc. and also in some of our neighbouring countries.

Vishu Sadhya with Chakka Pradhaman:

We prepare decadent fruit desserts using mukkani or any one of these summer fruits specially for this festival. Here I have served chakka pradhaman, sambar, neem flower rasam, bittergourd theeyal, drumstick mor-kuzhambu, scrambled potato, beetroot thuvaram, Malabar avial, Chettinad kootu, mango pachadi, etc. for lunch.

Jackfruit Payasam Recipe:

Generally we prepare jackfruit payasam by cooking jackfruit puree in home-made coconut milk. Here I have added a handful of fruit chunks along with the puree. This adds a lovely texture and it resembles like a fruity ada pradhaman. Now let’s look into the recipe for a creamy pradhaman with tantalizing jackfruit flavor. 

Ingredients:

Jackfruit Payasam:
Jackfruit bulbs*	30
Coconut milk#	150 ml
Coconut milk (thin)	400 ml
Jaggery	As desired
Green cardamom	2

*I made a puree using 20 bulbs & chopped the remaining.

# I used the coconut milk extracted from one half of coconut meat.

For garnishing:
Ghee	1-2 tbsp
Chopped coconut	As desired
Black raisins	As needed

How to make Jackfruit Payasam:

• Heat a heavy bottom pan with thin coconut milk in high flame.
• Add jackfruit puree and chopped bulbs and bring it to boil.
• Simmer until the jackfruit pieces cooked soft and the puree is well amalgamated.
• Stir in jaggery powder until dissolved.
• Cook the payasam in low flame for about 5 minutes.
• Finally, add creamy coconut milk (first pressed) followed by cardamom powder and mix well.
• Remove the pan from heat.
• Add ghee-roasted coconut & raisins before serving.
• Serve jackfruit payasam warm or chilled.

We also like to relish chakka pradhaman along with thin slices of banana and a handful of jalebi/ jangiri chunks (or boondhi).