Chakka Varatti / Jackfruit Halwa

Chakka varatti is a speciality of Kerala. Typically these are made during the summer season when the Jackfruits are in abundance as a way of preserving the fruit.  During the summers my mom's kitchen would have at least one uruli (thick bottomed bell metal cookware) bubbling with chakka varatti in progress. I was such a lover of this that on some days I would have just this alone for break fast. Though it may sound a bit weird to some, if you were a jackfruit and sweet lover like me, you won't mind having it as breakfast yourself. As a fruit preserve, this can be stored for months altogether and can be converted into the chakka pradhaman (the jackfruit payasam) in a jiffy. This way you can enjoy the goodness of jackfruit, year round, even when jackfruits are not in season.
Ingredients
Jackfruit - 7 cups
Jaggery - 1 kg
Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Ghee -  2 to 3 tbsp or as required
Cashews - 2 tbsp optional
Method
Take a heavy bottom pan and add ghee, melted and starined jaggery, and pureed jackfruit.  Stir continuously until it becomes thick and the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and roll to form a soft ball. Add dry ginger powder, cardamom powder and ghee roasted cashew.Transfer it to a greased plate.Cut into desired shapes when it cools.
Sending this to Kerala Kitchen hosted by Kaveri