Jackfruit Unniyappam (Chakka Varatti)

Ingredients

• Jackfruit preserve (chakka varatti) - 1 cup
• Raw rice or pachari or sona masoori rice - 1 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coconut bits - 2 tbsp
• Jaggery cubes - 5 whole
• Salt - 1 pinch
• Baking powder - 1/4 tsp
• Water - 1 cup
• Ghee
• Coconut oil (optional)

Instructions

1. 1Soak the raw rice in enough water for 6 hours, then wash and drain it thoroughly.
2. 2Heat a little ghee in a small pan and roast the coconut bits until they turn golden and fragrant, then set them aside.
3. 3In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of water and the jaggery cubes to a boil, stirring until the jaggery melts into a thick syrup; strain the syrup to remove any impurities and let it cool.
4. 4Grind the soaked rice together with 1 cup melted jaggery into a coarse paste, stopping while there is still some texture rather than a silk-smooth batter.
5. 5Transfer the paste to a mixing bowl and stir in the cardamom powder, the roasted coconut bits, the salt, and the baking powder until everything is evenly distributed; the batter should be thick, like idli batter.
6. 6Let the batter rest for 5 hours so the flavors meld and the texture evens out.
7. 7After resting, check the consistency and, if the batter is too thick, add 1/3 cup of water or jaggery syrup and mix until the batter loosens to a scoopable consistency.
8. 8Keep the frying heat low when you cook: a gentle flame helps the inside cook through without overbrowning the outside and prevents a watery batter from absorbing too much oil.
9. 9Heat ghee or coconut oil in an unniyappam pan until the oil starts to bubble gently.
10. 10Pour 1 tbsp or 3/4 of batter into each hole of the pan, filling them about three-quarters full so the unniyappams puff and cook evenly.
11. 11When the first side is cooked, turn each unniyappam to the other side; the first side takes 3-5 minutes to cook, so be patient and turn when the edges look set.
12. 12Cook both sides until the unniyappams are golden brown all over, then transfer them to paper towels to drain briefly before serving.
13. 13Serve warm with evening tea as an optional, comforting pairing.