Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 26
The one thing that
anyone travelling across Kerala just cannot miss is the jackfruit tree
as it is tall and well spread. On most occasions, one can see the
greenish-yellow jackfruit hanging in adequate numbers - not surprising
as this is by far the largest tree-borne fruit.
Over the years this fruit still maintains its status as one that is affordable to all and can be consumed raw or ripe.
Each jackfruit weighs from three to 30 kilograms.
Believed
to have originated in the country's southwestern rain forests,the word
jackfruit comes from Portuguese jaca, which in turn, is derived from the
Malayalam word chakka.
In common parlance, chakka is often
referred to as the pre-ripe form and the fragrance of the fleshy
jackfruit is first noticed by squirrels and the birds. The ripe form is
called chakka pazham.
In Kerala the two most commonly found
variety are 'koozha', which is not much in demand as 'varikka' which of
late has become a much sought after one.
Molly Thomas, an
80-year-old grandmother from Thiruvalla, said this is one food item that
was once the succour of many people, especially the labour class.
"I
remember that when work was difficult to come by during the rainy
season, my father-in-law used to allow the the labour class to cut the
near-ripe jackfruit. The mashed jackfruit, prepared with grated coconut
and spices, is not only mouth-watering but also quite a filling meal.
Also, the tasty chips prepared from jackfruit is a hit among one and
all," Thomas told IANS.
The process of weaning out the pieces
after cutting open the jackfruit is a laborious one and is very messy
because of the sticky white fluid that oozes out, but for experienced
people, it's child's play.
The seed or 'chola' inside each fleshy
piece is also used for making excellent dishes. One of the most popular
ones is when it's mixed with raw mango and coconut paste and for a
curry called 'chakkakuru manga' that is eaten with steaming rice.
"When
eaten with typical Kerala fish curry, mashed jackfruit is second to
none. We have now started promoting this among the foreign tourists who
opt for home stays," Jacob Punnen, who rents out rooms in Kottayam, told
IANS.
Today, the koozha variety is not much in demand and
householders find it difficult to dispose it off because after it ripens
and falls, it's a big messy affair with lots of flies and birds feeding
on it. The varikka variety of a jackfruit is available at a fancy price
of Rs.150 upwards.
"We have both varieties of jackfruit. Of
late, it's buyers from Tamil Nadu who come and buy the varikka variety.
They do not want the koozha variety. They rip us off as while we get
around Rs.10 for a varikka jackfruit, we are told that they sell it from
above Rs.100. See, if we do not sell it for Rs.10 per piece, then it
will become food for the birds and squirrels. Another problem is if we
hire a tree-climber to cut the fruit, he asks for at least Rs.250. As a
result, even if we get just Rs.10 per piece, we sell it to the buyers
from Tamil Nadu," farmer Sreekantan Nair told IANS.
Countries
like Thailand, the Philippines and Sri Lanka have taken the jackfruit to
the next level by coming with value-added products.
"We lived in
Thailand for three years and there are numerous sweet products that are
made out of jackfruit. I am surprised that this is not happening in our
state. The only notable product that is now available is 'chakka
varatiyathu' and that too, the present generation of womenfolk are not
as expert as our mothers used to be," homemaker Susan Jacob, who spent
three years in Thailand, told IANS.
And last but not the least,
while the outer thick skin of the jackfruit is a much sought after feed
for cattle, the leaves of the jackfruit tree are equally in demand by
goat farmers.
(Sanu George can be contacted at [email protected])
