Watch: Kerala Cheema Chakka or Breadfruit Curry

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes  

Ingredients 

1  Breadfruit 

2 medium-sized onions  

1 ½ tsp of crushed ginger and garlic (equal measures) 

¼ tsp turmeric powder  

½ tsp garam masala 

2 tsp red chilli powder 

2 tsp coriander powder 

3 tsp cooking oil 

2 green chillies 

1 tomato 

50 ml water 

Salt to taste 

For tempering:

2 tsp coconut oil 

3 shallots sliced

2 dried red chillies 

½ tsp mustard seeds 

1 sprig of curry leaves  

Method   

Step 1 

Peel off the outer green skin of the breadfruit.  

Step 2 

Discard the central core, cut it into small even pieces and immerse it in water. 

Step 3 

Slice the onions and keep them aside. 

Step 4 

Crush the ginger and garlic in a hand mortar and keep aside   

Step 5 

In a kadhai or deep pan, heat 3 teaspoons of coconut oil. Add 1 ½ teaspoon of crushed ginger and garlic, and sauté for a minute. 

Step 6 

Add the sliced onions and sauté them. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to make the sautéing faster. Sauté the onion till it becomes translucent. 

Step 7 

Add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder and sauté further for a few seconds.  

Step 8 

Cut the tomato into small pieces and add it to the kadhai and sauté for a few minutes. Add curry leaves as well. 

Step 9 

Add two teaspoons of coriander powder and two teaspoons of red chilli powder. Sauté for a minute 

Step 10 

Add the Breadfruit pieces into the masala and combine well. Then add 500 ml of water. Close the pan with its lid and cook till the Breadfruit (Cheema Chakka) becomes soft enough.   

Step 11 

In the meantime, take 25 grams of coconut powder and mix it in half a cup of water, to make coconut milk.   

Step 12 

Add two sliced green chillies into the curry and mix. Check the salt and add more if required.  

Step 13 

Put off the flame and add the coconut milk and mix gently to combine. 

Step 14 

Tempering: In a small pan heat 2 teaspoons of coconut oil, add ¼ teaspoon of mustard seed and allow it to splutter. Add sliced shallots, red chillies and curry leaves. Sauté till shallots become golden brown and then pour it over the curry.   

Cheema Chakka curry is ready to be relished.

Recipe courtesy: Sobha Varghese is a home-maker based in Mumbai, India. Sobha runs a popular YouTube blog called ‘Sobha's Kitchenette’ that focuses on authentic and traditional Kerala recipes