Healthy Jackfruit Halwa

I never knew jackfruit could be anything other than a meat substitute until I visited my friend’s house last summer. She served this sweet, creamy dessert that had me completely fooled – I was sure it was made from some kind of nuts or maybe even carrots. When she told me it was jackfruit halwa, I couldn’t believe it.

That’s the thing about jackfruit – most of us only know it as that big, spiky fruit used in savory dishes. But in many Indian homes, it’s also transformed into this wonderfully rich dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make. If you can stir a pot and have a bit of patience, you’re already halfway there.

What Kind of Jackfruit Should I Use?

For making jackfruit halwa, you’ll want to use ripe, yellow jackfruit that’s soft and gives off a sweet aroma. Fresh jackfruit is ideal, but if you can’t find it, canned ripe jackfruit in syrup (not the young green jackfruit in brine) will work as a substitute. When selecting fresh jackfruit, look for one that yields slightly when pressed and has a strong, sweet smell – if there’s no fragrance, it’s probably not ripe enough. Before starting your halwa, make sure to remove all the seeds and the fibrous parts between the pods, as these can affect the smooth texture of your final dish. If you’re new to working with jackfruit, you might want to wear disposable gloves while preparing it, as the fruit contains a sticky sap that can be tough to wash off.

Options for Substitutions

While this traditional dessert has some ingredients that are key to its authentic taste, here are some substitution options you can try:

• Jackfruit: This is the star ingredient and can’t really be substituted if you want true jackfruit halwa. However, if you can’t find fresh jackfruit, canned jackfruit in syrup can work – just drain well and reduce the jaggery slightly since it’s sweeter.
• Jaggery: If jaggery isn’t available, you can use brown sugar or palm sugar as alternatives. Start with about 2.5 cups since these are typically sweeter than jaggery, and adjust to taste.
• Clarified butter (ghee): While ghee gives the best flavor, you can use unsalted butter as a substitute. Regular butter will change the taste slightly but will still work well.
• Cardamom powder: If you don’t have cardamom powder, you can crush 8-10 whole green cardamom pods (remove the outer shells first). In a pinch, you could use a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg, though the taste will be different.
• Dry ginger powder: Fresh grated ginger can work instead – use about 2 teaspoons of finely grated fresh ginger for every 1 teaspoon of powder.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making jackfruit halwa is getting the right texture – using overripe or underripe jackfruit can make your halwa either too mushy or too firm, so choose fruit that’s perfectly ripe with a sweet aroma and slightly soft feel. A common mistake is not cooking the jackfruit pieces long enough before adding the jaggery – make sure to cook them until they’re completely soft and can be mashed easily, which usually takes about 15-20 minutes. Another crucial point is stirring continuously once you add the jaggery, as the mixture can stick to the bottom and burn quickly – keep the heat medium-low and maintain constant stirring until the halwa reaches a thick, semi-solid consistency. For the best results, don’t rush the final stage of roasting in ghee – this step needs patience and continuous stirring until the halwa starts leaving the sides of the pan and develops a slight golden color.

What to Serve With Jackfruit Halwa?

This sweet and aromatic Indian dessert is perfect on its own, but there are some nice ways to make it even more special. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side creates a lovely hot-and-cold contrast that really works well with the jackfruit’s natural sweetness. For a traditional approach, serve the halwa with a cup of masala chai – the spices in the tea complement the cardamom and ginger in the dessert perfectly. You can also pair it with some plain roasted nuts like almonds or pistachios for a nice crunch that balances out the soft, rich texture of the halwa.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This sweet jackfruit halwa stays good at room temperature for about 24 hours. For longer storage, place it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. The clarified butter helps preserve the freshness and keeps the texture just right.

Pack: Want to share this treat with friends or family? Pack individual portions in small airtight containers, separating layers with wax paper or parchment paper to prevent sticking. This makes it easy to grab and go!

Serve Later: When you’re ready to enjoy refrigerated halwa, just let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. If you prefer it warm, heat it gently in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, or until it reaches your desired temperature. The spices will become more fragrant when warmed!

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	45-60 minutes
Total Time	60-80 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2800
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 80-90 g
• Carbohydrates: 500-550 g

Ingredients

• 6 cups ripe jackfruit, seeds removed and chopped
• 3 cups jaggery
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup clarified butter
• 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder

Step 1: Cook the Jackfruit

Add 1 cup of water to a pressure cooker along with the deseeded and chopped jackfruit pieces.

Pressure cook for 6 to 7 whistles, then allow the pressure to release naturally.

Let the cooked jackfruit cool before proceeding to the next step.

Step 2: Puree the Jackfruit

Transfer the cooled, cooked jackfruit into a mixer jar and grind it to a smooth puree.

Set the puree aside.

Taste the jackfruit puree to check its sweetness and adjust the amount of jaggery accordingly to ensure the Chakka Varattiyathu has the desired sweetness.

Step 3: Prepare the Jaggery Syrup

In a pan over medium flame, add powdered jaggery along with 1 cup of water.

Stir the mixture until the jaggery dissolves completely, then boil until it thickens into a syrup.

Turn off the flame and strain the syrup to remove any impurities.

Step 4: Cook the Jackfruit Puree

In a heavy-bottomed pan, add the jackfruit puree.

Cook on low-medium flame, stirring continuously until all the water evaporates from the puree.

This step is essential in concentrating the flavors and achieving the right texture.

Step 5: Combine with Jaggery Syrup and Ghee

Pour the prepared jaggery syrup into the cooked jackfruit, stirring continuously to combine.

Gradually add ghee while stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Keep cooking and stirring until the Chakka Varattiyathu starts to leave the sides of the pan.

Step 6: Finalize and Serve

Continue cooking until the mixture becomes glossy and reaches the desired consistency.

Once done, allow it to cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy your homemade Chakka Varattiyathu, a traditional Jackfruit Preserve!

Store in an airtight container for future use.