Chakka Pradhaman/ Jack Fruit Payasam/ Kheer

To extract the coconut milk, take a 1 and 1/2 fresh coconut and grate it finely. Then add the grated coconut with 1 cup of hot water and process it for a minute, then squeeze it for the milk. You will get 1 cup of thick milk.

Repeat this process by adding 2 cups of hot water and process it for a couple of minutes. Squeeze it for milk in a separate bowl, this will give you 1 cup of thin milk.

To prepare the chakka pradhaman kheer, chop the jack fruit pieces into small pieces and pressure cook these pieces with 1 and 1/2 cup of water till 6-8 whistles blow or cook until it's soft.

Grind this cooked jackfruit in a mixer to form a paste or slightly mash it with the help of a wooden spoon. Meanwhile heat the third milk in a wide mouthed heavy bottomed pan or uruli and melt the jaggery in it.

Strain the jaggery syrup to remove fine sand particles and reheat the same.

Add the chakka varatti and reduce the fire to low, then keep stirring to dissolve and boil until the mixture thickens (if you're using chakka varatti or cooked chakka paste then it will melt in the coconut milk).

Add the second milk and boil again while stirring continuously for about 10-15 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

Finally add the first milk and cook for a couple of minutes, then turn off the flame. Keep stirring until the milk is incorporated well. Add in the dry ginger powder/chukku podi and cardamom powder.

Heat the ghee in a small pan, first fry the coconut pieces until they are golden in colour. Put these fried coconut pieces into the payasam.

Delicious chakka Pradhaman /Jack fruit Payasam is ready to be served. Serve it hot or chilled!