Jackfruit Chips/Chakkavaruthathu.....step by step.

Jackfruit chips....these crispy crunchy yummy chips is the best chips Kerala can offer to the world.... thanks to our grandmothers....our ancestors...

If you visit Kerala especially during the summers I urge you to get hold of a packet and feel the taste so unique which no other chips can offer. Jackfruit season is during the summers, every backyard boasts of atleast one tree, raw fruit is used to make chips while ripened ones can be had own its own or made into  jams, appam etc.

Once you get the fruit, (I will be misleading you if I say this is an easy job) just slice it open, chop off the middle stem, and pull out the raw jackfruit, then de-seed it and slice into thin strips, you can also trim both the edges, which I didn't.

The frying part is easy, just heat good old coconut oil and put it in, use salted turmeric water.

The most searched post in this site is my raw banana chips recipe, frying jackfruit is also similar to that ...do check it out if any doubts lingers.

I made this with one whole big, huge, enormous,jackfruit, if you get even a small part (i hear that you get it in markets especially in Tamil Nadu) do try this unique and crunchy fry.

This is just a random measurement, just wanted to take you all to the tour of making the chips....so that incase any of you get some raw jackfruit, you will think of frying it up.

How I made them:
Raw Jackfruit: Cut into thin strips, approximately 1 kg or smaller quantity for a one time snack.
Coconut oil: About half litre or as needed.
Salted water: About.1/3 cup or less
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp. (optional) I did not use, I wanted to bring out the natural colour of the fruit).

Method:
Mix salt, turmeric with water to make a solution and keep aside. Oil your knife (preferably coconut oil) because the fruit has sticky latex. Cut the jack fruit into two. Cut off the middle stem, preferably triangularly and remove it. It might be sticky...grease your hands with coconut oil and oh! please put a newspaper underneath so that your kitchen counter will not get dirty sticky.

The stem is removed! Now with both hands give it a nice stretch and you can see the fruits are not sticking together...involve your kids,nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, hubbies, neighbors.... for the pulling out part.

Just pull out each one.

All out at last!

Slit open the each fruit and take out the seed otherwise known as chakkakuru (which can be used to make tasty curries..I love them). You can trim off the edges and use it to make chakka curry. Sorry no pic of the de-seeding part..remember the latex is all over my hands...could not touch my cam with sticky hands...so imagine that part...will ya :)

Heat coconut oil and put it on the hot oil, give it a stir on and off. When the sizzling sound reduce just put in a tsp of salted water please step back as the oil will bubble up making a hissing sound, again give it a stir.

Strain the chips onto a paper napkin. Fry the remaining fruit in the similar way.

Store it in air tight container. This will keep fresh for weeks....caution!! only if your kids allow it to stay.

Enjoy your fresh homemade chips ....my kids enjoyed them until their jaws got tired of all the chewing :)