Monday, May 23, 2016

Jackfruit jamboree

Jackfruit jamboree .... Love for the gigantic, tropical fruit

While mango undoubtedly is everyone's favourite during summer, the arrival of wondrous jackfruit too is equally awaited in our household.
"Here, Eat as many lobes as you want..." that is how my paternal aunt used to tell and me and my cousin would pounce on the plate like greedy, hungry cheetahs. 
Though our neighbouring State of Kerala makes the ubiquitous chips and ada, Karnataka cuisine too is peppered with a plethora of jackfruit-based dishes such as the South Canarese Chakko ghassi (jackfruit gravy with a dash of kokum), khotte kadubu (idlis steamed in jackfruit leaves that lends them a distinct aroma and flavour). 
While the rest of the family prefers the ubiquitious 'phodi' or chips like savoury to go with their coffee/tea, me being the sweet-toothed giant prefer Panas poli (flatbread made of jackfruit pulp) - the preparation of which is a daunting task for mom and aunt but they do it to satisfy the 'jihva' bhootham in my tongue. And being the frugal lady she is when it comes to kichen affairs, my maternal grandmother would not waste the jackfruit seeds and add them in kootu after sundrying them and peeling the delicate outer cover. After all, it is she who guards those hanging wonders carefully by wrapping them with a plastic sheet. 


And, I'm sure there are memories associated with summer and fruits for everyone. The way ajja (grandpa) used to feed me half-ripe jackfruit slices dipped in honey/palm sugar.... Mannah from the Heaven, it is! The love for jackfruit continued even to the music classes and no words to describe my ecstasy when I got a palamarathu veenai (veenai made of jackfruit wood).

Back here at my own home post-marriage, the love and legacy continues... The better half was so amazed to know my love for the fruit that the first ever gift I got was a grocery item - Halsinakayi Happala (jackfruit papad) which he hunted from the Ambika appalam stores in Mylapore!! Needless to say, he started loving it too after a lot of apprehension. And the annual L'Áffaire has only grown strong over the years (Halsina huchchu or jackfruit mad, as my mom puts it)  as I drool for the thorny yellow wonder when I see them in Mylapore Vidya Mandir where I leave my son for his karate classes. Carefully wrapped around in transparent plastic sheets, they invite me near but I can just heave a sigh and pester the better half to get me the fruit lobes from the nearby market.
And in my recent conversation with her, vayini (sis-in-law) tells me of the zillion dishes we prepare out of this fruit, she takes the pulp, grinds it along with jaggery, rava and coconut milk and bakes them and relishes!!!
So, how do you relish your jackfruit - as a fruit or as a vegetable or as an everything in between? ;-)