Jackfruit Payasam / Chakka Pradhaman: A Delectable Delight of Kerala's Onam Sadhya

INTRODUCTION:

Jackfruit Payasam is a delightful Kerala dessert made with ripe jackfruit, jaggery, and coconut milk. It is a traditional dessert (Chakka Pradhaman) part of Onam Sadhya which is a grand and traditional feast prepared during the Onam festival in Kerala, India. The combination of flavors creates a rich and aromatic dessert that will surely satisfy your sweet cravings.

RECIPE IN A SHORT VIDEO:

INGREDIENTS:

• Jackfruit - 250g, deseeded
• Jaggery - 200g
• Coconut - 225g, chopped to extract milk
• Water - 550ml
• Ghee - 2 tablespoon
• Cashewnut - 5, slit
• Coconut - 2 tablespoon, chopped to roast
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the Jackfruit:

• Add the deseeded jackfruit arils and 50ml of water in a pressure cooker.
• Cook until 2 whistles on high flame.
• Allow the cooked jackfruit arils to cool down, then transfer them to a mixer and pulse for a second to make a coarse paste.

2. Extract Coconut Milk:

• In a blender, add the finely chopped coconut and 200ml water, grind for a minute to make fine coconut pulp.
• Strain the ground coconut pulp using a linen cloth to extract thick coconut milk (first extract).

• Add the strained coconut pulp back to the mixer and 200ml water, grind for a minute.
• Strain the ground coconut using the same cloth to extract thin coconut milk (second extract).

3. Prepare Jaggery Syrup:

• In a separate pan over medium flame, add the jaggery and 150ml water.
• Allow the jaggery to melt and dissolve completely.
• Once melted, filter the jaggery syrup using any metal strainer to remove impurities.

4. Roast Cashew Nuts and Coconut:

• Heat a thick pan over medium flame and add the ghee to the pan.
• Once the ghee is hot, add the cashew nuts and chopped coconut to the pan and roast until they turn golden brown.
• Once roasted, remove the nuts from the pan and set them aside in a separate bowl.

5. Preparing the Payasam:

• In the same pan used for roasting, add the ground jackfruit arils and stir cook for 2 minutes over medium flame.
• Add the jaggery syrup to the pan and stir cook over medium flame until the mixture thickens.
• Add 200ml of thin coconut milk (second extract) and mix well. Stir cook for 10 minutes over medium flame.
• Once the mixture is thickened, add 150ml of thick coconut milk and mix well.
• Immediately add the cardamom powder and stir cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the fried cashew nuts and coconut to the mixture, mix well, and then turn off the flame. 

CONCLUSION:

Your delicious Jackfruit Payasam is now ready to be served. You can enjoy it warm or chilled as per your preference. It makes for a perfect ending to any meal and will surely be loved by your family and guests.