PONSA GHARAI - RIPE JACKFRUIT DESSERT

 PONSA GHARAI - RIPE JACKFRUIT DESSERT

A very commonly available fruit in India is the jackfruit which we call Ponas in my mother tongue, Konkani. This is called Hallasinu Hannu in Kannada, Phanas in Marathi and Gujarati, and Chakka in Malayalam.

It is encouraging to know that apart from being so yummy, jackfruits have many health benefits too! 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with jackfruit such as:-

• Ponsa Polo (Jackfruit Dosa) 
• Ponsa Appo (Jackfruit Appo) 

Today's recipe is for a popular dessert made with jackfruit in our GSB Konkani community called Ponsa Gharai. It is like a payasam, served after a meal. This dessert can be served hot or refrigerated as per your preference. 

Please remember the amount of jaggery you add will depend on the inherent sweetness of the jackfruit you use and your individual taste. The number of jackfruit bulbs used will also depend on their size. In this case, I have used 8-10.

Do let me know if you like this item for dessert.

Ingredients:-

• Ripe Jackfruit, 8-10 bulbs
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2  cup heaped 
• Ghee, 2 tbsp
• Cashewnuts, broken into halves, 6-8
• Cardamom Powder, made from 4-5 cardamom pods
• Rice Flour, 2 tsp 

Method:-

Cut open the jackfruit bulbs, remove the seeds from each of them 

Chop the jackfruit bulbs into small pieces

Heat the grated jaggery in a pan along with 3 tbsp of water until it melts

Strain the jaggery liquid to remove the impurities, if any, and keep aside 

In a mixer, grind the coconut gratings with 1 cup of water. Strain this through a muslin cloth to get the first (thick) extract of the coconut milk . Keep aside.

Put back the ground coconut gratings in the mixer jar, add 1 cup of water and repeat the process to get the second (thin) extract of the coconut milk. 

To this thin coconut milk extract,  add 2 tsp of rice flour and mix well so that it does not form any lumps. This helps thicken the texture of the Gharai. 

Heat the ghee in a thick bottomed pan. Roast the cashew nuts on medium heat till they turn slightly golden. Keep aside. 

In the same pan, add the chopped jackfruit pieces and saute till they are almost cooked

To this, add the melted jaggery syrup, mix and bring to a boil

Now add the thin milk extract, mix well and bring to a boil 

Lower the heat, add the thick milk extract, mix well and once again bring to a boil

Switch off the gas. Mix in the cardamom powder and garnish with roasted cashewnuts.

Transfer the Ponsa Gharai to a serving bowl

Serve hot or refrigerated, as per your preference

 

VAALI BIKKANDA SASAM -Malabar Spinach & Jackfruit Seeds Curry

 VAALI BIKKANDA SASAM ( Malabar Spinach & Jackfruit Seeds Curry )

Today's recipe is for an old favourite from our Konkani GSB cuisine called Vaali Bikkanda Sasam. The name comes from the two principal ingredients, Vaali or Malabar Spinach, and Bikkand or Jackfruit Seeds. This is a mildly spiced coconut-based curry with a distinct taste of ground mustard (Sasam in Konkani). 

I thank my friend, Gowri Baliga for reminding me of this dish by her post in a food group in which we are members. 

After making dishes with the jackfruit, we also put the jackfruit seeds to use! Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for:-

• Ponsa Appo 
• Ponsa Polo
• Batate Bikkanda Humman

Malabar Spinach, called Vaali in Konkani, my mother tongue and Basale Soppu in Kannada, is particularly rich in Vitamin A. Jackfruit Seeds are rich in thiamine and riboflavin. 

We love this dish and I hope you will enjoy it too! 

Ingredients :-

• Vaali (Malabar Spinach), 100 to 150 grams
• Bikkand ( Jackfruit Seeds), 10-12
• Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, 2
• Tamarind, a small piece 
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp for seasoning 
• Raw Rice, 1 tsp 
• Jaggery, grated, 1 tsp or to taste, 
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Salt, to taste
• Ghee/Oil, 2 tsp

Method:-

Remove the spinach leaves from the stems. Cut the tender parts of the stem into 1 " pieces. Wash them thoroughly and roughly chop them. Keep aside

Remove the outer skin of the jackfruit seeds and soak them in water for some time

Lightly crush the jackfruit seeds

In a pressure cooker, keep the crushed jackfruit seeds in a vessel 

Cook them in adequate water for 1 whistle.

After the cooker cools, removed the cooked jackfruit seeds and keep aside

Ito this add the chopped Vaali and salt to taste

Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes

In a mixer jar, grind together the coconut gratings, roasted dry red chillies, mustard seeds, tamarind and raw rice to a smooth paste adding just the required amount of water 

Add the ground paste along with the grated jaggery to the cooked spinach and jackfruit seeds

Mix well, add water as required to get a medium thick consistency and bring to a boil

Check for salt, and add if required

Lower the flame and allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes and switch off the gas 

Heat ghee/oil in a small seasoning pan, and on medium heat add 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds, when they splutter add the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

Add this seasoning to the curry 

Transfer the curry to a serving bowl

Serve Vaali  Bikkanda Sasam as a side dish or as an accompaniment for steamed rice 

BATATE BIKKANDA HUMMAN

BATATE BIKKANDA HUMMAN

Jackfruit is called Ponasu in my mother tongue, Konkani. It is called Halasinu Hannu in Kannada, Phanas in Hindi & Marathi and Chakka in Malayalam. 

We in the Konkani GSB community love jackfruits! Once we get our hands on them, we use them to the full! Let me explain what I mean. We use raw jackfruit  which we call Kadgi ( Kathal in Hindi, and Halasinakkai in Kannada) to make a side dish called Kadgi Chakko. 

The ripe jackfruits are used to make several dishes including dosas, which we call Ponsa Polo, and Appe which we call Ponsa Appo. The seeds of the jackfruit are removed and kept aside. They are washed and dried, for future use. We then cook and use them to make several different dishes. 

 

Today's recipe is for a side dish -made with jackfruit seeds (Bikkand) along with potatoes (Batata) - called Batate Bikkanda Humman. This is a popular dish in most Konkani homes. 

Since it does not call for the use of onion or garlic, this Humman is often made on the days when we wish to avoid using these ingredients. 

Here's how I make this! I always associate this dish with the aroma of asafoetida and the coconut oil added to enhance its taste. 

Ingredients:-

• Batato (Potatoes), medium-sized, 3
• Bikkand ( Jackfruit Seeds ) 1 cup or about 20 
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, 6
• Tamarind, size of small marble
• Raw Rice, 1 tsp ( optional) 
• Asafoetida/Hing, 1/4 tsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Method:- 

Wash and peel the potatoes, and cut them into bite-sized pieces 

Dissolve 1/4 tsp of asafoetida in 1 tbsp of water. Mix well and keep aside.

Remove the outer white skin of the bikkand

Lightly smash the bikkands with a rolling pin to crack them  

Place the potatoes and the bikkand in a vessel in adequate water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook them for 2 whistles

When the cooker cools, remove the vessel and keep aside

In a mixer jar grind together the coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, tamarind and raw rice to a smooth paste adding the required amount of water 

Add the ground paste and salt to taste to the cooked potatoes and bikkand 

Mix well, adjust the consistency to make it gravy-like by adding water (only if required) and bring to a boil 

Then lower the flame and let it simmer for 5 minutes 

Switch off the gas

Now add the dissolved asafoetida in water and the coconut oil and mix well

Keep it covered for a few minutes to enhance the flavors in the dish

Transfer the Humman to a serving bowl

Serve the Batate Bikkanda Humman as a side dish with the main meal

Tip: the addition of Raw Rice gives the ground masala a better texture

PONSA POLO ( JACKFRUIT DOSA)

PONSA POLO  (JACKFRUIT DOSA)

Today being Father's Day, I  wish to dedicate this post to my father with lots of love and gratitude.

This is the season for jackfruits and I was delighted to get a nice, big ripe one from my brother recently. This is from a tree planted by my father more than 50 years ago!

Ripe Jackfruit is called "Ponosu" in my mother tongue, Konkani. This is called "Hallasinu Hannu" in Kannada, Phanas in Marathi and Gujarati, and Chakka in Malayalam.

We make numerous dishes using ripe jackfruit. We also make dishes such as Kadgi Chakko. with the raw jackfruit which we call Kadgi. Even the jackfruit seeds are used to make some dishes!

One dish made of ripe jackfruit- which we love a lot- is a sweet dosa which we call, "Ponsa Polo" or Jackfruit Dosa.

This is usually had as a stand alone snack but some have it for breakfast or in the evenings.  It is eaten as it is or with a dollop of ghee/butter.

Ripe jackfruit has many health benefits as well.

The measures shown in this recipe yielded me with 10-12 Jackfruit Dosas. There is no need to ferment the batter and you can make the dosas once the batter is prepared.

The amount of jaggery used depends on your taste and the sweetness of the jackfruit being used.

Ingredients:-

• Ponosu, (Ripe Jackfruit), 1 cup or 15-18 pods approx
• Raw Rice, 1 cup  
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup
• Jaggery, grated, 1 cup, or to taste
• Cardamoms, 3 pods
• Salt, a pinch
• Ghee, for making dosas

Method:-

Wash and soak the rice for about 3 hours
Drain the excess water

Remove the seeds from the jackfruit pods
Roughly chop the jackfruit pods and keep aside

Powder the cardamoms

In a mixer jar, grind together the soaked rice, and the coconut gratings without adding any water to a paste
To this, add the chopped jackfruit, and grated jaggery, and grind again to form a smooth batter adding very  little water if required ( as the jackfruit and the jaggery will leave their own juices).
The batter should be a little thick but of pouring consistency
Transfer to a bowl, add the powdered cardamom and a pinch of salt . Mix well
The batter for the dosas is ready. It need not be fermented.

Prepare the tawa to make dosas by heating the tawa after smearing it with a little ghee

Sprinkle a little water on the tawa and when it sizzles, you know the tawa is ready
On medium heat, pour a ladleful of batter and spread it in a circular motion to make the dosa
Drizzle a little ghee on the top and around the dosa
Cook till one side of the dosa gets done
Next flip and cook the other side as well
Transfer to a serving plate
Serve the Jackfruit Dosa with ghee/butter on the side