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Among all the fresh produce of spring season in India, jackfruit is one of the most popular items. This gigantic tropical fruit is known to be an amazing meat alternative and is enjoyed in plenty of ways, such as biryani, curry, pickle, kebab and so on. Along with its distinct aroma and appealing taste, jackfruit is also rich in dietary fibre, vitamin C and many other nutrients.
Commonly known as kathal in India, it is consumed in both raw and ripe form. Raw green jackfruit has a neutral flavour, which makes it perfect for savoury dishes. The ripe yellow ones could become an excellent ingredient for your desserts due to their subtly sweet taste that is often described as a combination of mango, apple and banana.
Jackfruit Halwa
This easy and delightful dessert is perfect for every occasion. Made with chopped jackfruit, jaggery, and ghee, this halwa is often flavoured with cardamom powder. It barely takes 40 minutes to get ready and can be served both hot and cold. You can also garnish it with a few cashew nuts and raisins for an additional texture. Also known as chakka varattiyathu, this dessert is widely relished in the state of Kerala.
Jackfruit Laddoos
This nutritious and tasty dessert is not made with the pulp or skin of jackfruit but with seeds. The seeds are known to be a good source of vital nutrients including protein and antioxidants. Also enjoyed as a filling snack, these round sweet balls are prepared by grinding roasted jackfruit seeds and rice and then shaping them as laddoos with grated coconut, jaggery and cardamom powder. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days when refrigerated.
Jackfruit Modak
This Maharashtrian sweet treat has many innovative versions, and jackfruit filling is one of them. Jackfruit modak is a healthy twist on the traditional modak and is made by stuffing the sweet dumpling with chopped jackfruit, grated coconut and jaggery and then steaming the modaks until cooked properly. Serve them hot and store the leftovers properly in a jar for up to two days.
Jackfruit Cake
If you have an extra portion of overripe jackfruit in your refrigerator, transform it into a cake without thinking twice. Made with ingredients like coconut milk, butter and all-purpose flour, it is moist and extremely delicious. Besides serving jackfruit cake as a dessert, it can become a great tea-time snack. You can also place thin slices of jackfruit and nuts on the top of the batter before baking the cake in the oven.
Jackfruit Ice Cream
If you are fond of experimenting with ice cream flavours, then this frozen dessert is perfect for you. Prepared by blending jackfruit pulp with coconut milk, heavy cream and sugar, jackfruit ice cream is perfect for summer afternoons. For the best result, freeze the ice cream overnight before serving. An addition of chopped nuts or chocolate shavings will be perfect to enhance the taste and flavour of this dessert.
Jackfruit Payasam
This is an interesting twist on the South Indian dessert payasam. It is very similar to rice kheer but has a slightly thinner consistency. Made with jackfruit pieces, jaggery, coconut milk and cardamom powder, jackfruit payasam is garnished with cashews, almonds and raisins before serving. If you want to give a punch of warm flavours to the dish, add a few spoons of ginger and cumin powder to the recipe.
