Chakka Kuzhachathu/Raw Jackfruit Curry (Kerala Style)...step by step.

Chakka kuzhachathu is a traditional curry made with raw jackfruit known as "chakka" in Malayalam. Jackfruit is mostly consumed as a ripened fruit, but its raw flesh is made into jackfruit chips or curries with coconut and served with fish curry/meen curry...Come summer, Kerala has its share of mangoes and jackfruits.

Raw jackfruit is chopped and cooked, fresh coconut grinded coarsely is added to the cooked jackfruit and seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves etc in farm fresh coconut oil. During grandmas time, coconut was grinded in a stone grinder or "ammi kal" as it is known in Malayalam. This gives the most yummiest earthy flavor and sometimes I love to go the traditional way to make authentic Kerala dishes.

This curry is a traditional vegan curry; for vegetarians, this can be served with pickles.

Note: Since jackfruit is in abundance during the summers; there is no exact measurement, usually most household will make this curry according to the number of family members. I am just giving a round about measurement, feel free to increase jackfruit flesh, if you have more of it.

Ingredients:
Jackfruit raw flesh/Chakka chula: 1/2 kg
Water to cook the fruit: about 1/2 cup or maybe a little more.
To grind:
Coconut scraped: 1 cup.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Shallots: 3 or 4.
Green chilli: 3 or 4.
Garlic cloves: 2 or 3 (optional)
To temper:
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Shallots (cheriya ulli): 2 or 3, slit.
Whole red chillies broken: 2.
Curry leaves: 2 sprig.
Salt to taste.

Method:
Cleaned jackfruit raw flesh.

Chop the jackfruit flesh or you can cut into big chunks and once cooked mash it up...but personally I prefer this way.

Heat coconut oil in a pan or kadai, add in shallots, broken red chillies, and curry leaves. Saute for a minute or two.

Then add in chopped jackfruit flesh.

Stir/mix well. Add water and salt, cover and cook, on medium to low flame.

While it is cooking, into a stone grinder or "ammi kal" add in the freshly scraped coconut, garlic, shallots, green chillies, and turmeric powder.

Grind coarsely. Alternately you can use ur small electric grinder, but I prefer to do the traditional way. Believe me guys, this was worth the effort.....no wonder women need not hit the gym those days :)

Open the kadai, if needed add some more water, mix well, make sure it does not stick to the bottom and get burnt. Add the coarsely grinded coconut into this. Cover the lid for a min....