It is time to wake up and smell the coffee. This one has roasted and powdered jackfruit seeds mixed with coffee powder and a pinch of dry ginger.
If jackfruit ambassador HM Rafeek, who, incidentally hails from Idichakkaplamoodu, had his way, most of us would be sipping the jackfruit coffee. The brew was one of the surprises in store aboard ‘Chakka Vandi’ (Jack On Wheels) flagged off on Wednesday in the city.
HM Rafeek near the ‘Chakka Vandi’ | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Throughout the year, the vehicle will move around the city, serving delicacies made of jackfruit, all cooked by a team under the supervision of Rafeek.
Launched by Panasa Farmers Producers Company Ltd, a consortium of jackfruit farmers promoted by Santhigram in Chappath near Vizhinjam, and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), the initiative is aimed at popularising the myriad benefits of the plump fruit.
“The effort is to bring healthy and ready-to-eat food products to the public,” says L Pankajakshan, director of Santhigram.
Rafeek’s team has a group of women, who were trained to make value-added products from jackfruit at Santhigram.
- ‘Chakka Vandi’ from Palakkad with jackfruit icecreams was an attraction at the launch. The brand, ‘Chikoos’, has been in the market for over three years now. “I have been into icecream manufacturing business for many years. When I found that it was difficult to compete with the big players, I tried to bring in something new and that’s how I zeroed in on jackfruit. I decided on the mobile shop because I couldn’t find enough takers for the product in shops. So I travel across Kerala to agriculture exhibitions and fairs,” says Mrithuvarnan K, proprietor of the venture. The pulp of varikka variety of jackfruit is used to make the icecream. The vehicle also sells jackfruit products manufactured by self-help groups in districts of Wayanad and Idukki. “We now have icecream in new flavours, such as tender coconut, guava, papaya, watermelon, green chilli and ginger,” he adds. Contact: 9061187270
“There were over 50 women who attended the sessions and each of them learnt to make at least two items,” says Rafeek, who is credited with preparing over 200 value-added products from the fruit. His sadya (feast), all made of chakka, is quite a best seller.
On the menu
“This time I have concentrated on snacks and savouries. So we have sheet rolls and puffs, sweet and spicy, cakes, dilkush, cutlets and therali, all made of jackfruit. We keep experimenting with jackfruit seeds and have come up with pakkavada and murukku using the seeds. The seeds, steamed and mashed, are mixed with rice flour to make pakkavada,” Rafeek explains.
Mrithuvarnan K with the Chakka Vandi selling jackfruit ice cream | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Jackfruit soup is a special item. “Parts of raw jackfruit, except for the spiny exterior, is cooked and mashed well to make it. Pepper, cumin, garlic, ginger, green chilli, coriander and pudina are some of the ingredients,” he adds.
- The cynosure of all eyes at the event was Anil Kumar or ‘Jack Anil’ who runs a nursery for jackfruit saplings at Puthur near Mangalore. A native of Parippally near Kollam, he has been using grafting and budding techniques, to come up with new varieties of jackfruit, including one that begins fruiting within one-and-a-half years and another variety that gives yield when it is not the season for jackfruit. “I have over 100 varieties with me. Some of them have been developed in association with Kerala Agricultural University,” says Anil.
Jackfruit chips, mixture, gruel mix, chutney mix and chakka puzhukku with chutney can be purchased from the vehicle.
‘Chakka Vandi’ will be stationed in front of Press Club in the coming days before it moves to other locations. Home delivery is available.
‘Chakka Vandi’ | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Meanwhile, Rafeek says that he hasn’t stopped experimenting with the fruit.
“I am trying to make a paste from jackfruit bulbs, similar to sandwalwood paste,” he avers. And, the literal meaning of Idichakka is raw tender jackfruit. Now is it a coincidence that Rafeek is such a huge advocate of the chakka considering that he hails from Idichakkaplamoodu!
Anil Kumar or ‘Jack Anil’ | Photo Credit: S Mahinsha
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