ചക്ക അട -steamed jackfruit puree with rice flour, coconut and jaggery

This was an evening time delicacy, made in my grandfather's house. We all used to pitch in to make it. And as kids, when its handmade by themselves, there is a special taste to the end product. I was always a picky eater but never during the summer months in my grandparents' house. Maybe because we joined our moms in the chopping and cooking and also witnessed things being made from scratch. And chakka ada was one of the many snacks which we helped in assembling.


INGREDIENTS 

1. Ripe jackfruit- 500 gms
2. appr. 90 gms scraped jaggery syrup (or as required), boiled with 2 Tbsp water 
3. rice flour - appr. 3/4 cup plus more as required
4. shredded coconut-1 cup
5. appr. 1/2 cup water(also depends on how watery or thick the jaggery syrup is)
6. salt to taste(start with 1/4 tsp)
7. banana leaves
8. steamer

METHOD

• The jackfruit puree can be made ahead during the jackfruit season and frozen
• Clean the banana leaves with a wet cloth. Wipe it dry and cut into thinner strips.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Puree the jackfruit in the mixie along with the jaggery syrup. Add water if required. Transfer the puree into a bowl, add coconut, stir gently. Add salt to taste. Then add the rice flour. The rice flour is added, so that the ada will hold its shape when steamed. So, add it sparingly. Too much rice flour will make the ada hard. Taste and see and add jaggery syrup if required.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Now time to put it into the banana leaves. Take a strip of the banana leaf. Fold it into a cone. Fill a spoonful of the ada mixture , close it into a cone shape , covering it with the leftover flap.
  

          

•  Fill the cone with a spoonful of the ada mixture.
  
  
  
  

• Press the cone gently to form a triangle shape.
  

• Cover the triangle with the leftover banana flap.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Repeat this and place the prepared triangle adas in a plate.
  

STEAMING THE ADAS

• I have used a idily cooker to steam the adas. Place them gently in the idily molds and steam them in high heat for 15 minutes.
• Don't overcrowd the molds. The adas can be steamed in batches.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• The adas will keep in the fridge for a week. I like this warm (right out of the steamer) or cold (just out of the fridge). And I like to eat this as a sweet/dessert after lunch. I am always amused with the triangular shape that it gets.
  

NOTES

• The ada steamed with banana leaves have a glossy effect.
• I had made chakka ada only with fresh banana leaves, freshly cut from the banana tree. 
• I do make the chakka ada here in the US too with frozen jackfruit pieces bought from Costco. But I have not tried out the frozen banana leaves.
• The amount of Jaggery syrup also depends on how sweet the jackfruit is.
• 3/4 cup of flour is all I have added every time I made this. It remains soft even when taken out to the fridge and consumed immediately.