Chakka Varuthathu. The name itself crackles with memories. Deep golden slices of ripe jackfruit, lovingly fried in coconut oil, crisped to perfection, and served just like that-no frills, no fuss. It’s not just a snack; it’s a celebration of Malayali ingenuity, turning seasonal abundance into something eternal.
Jackfruit has always held a special place in our hearts. During the monsoon months, when the jackfruit tree stands proud with its heavy, bumpy fruits, homes across Kerala buzz with activity-cleaning, slicing, boiling, sun-drying, pickling, and yes, frying. Among all the jackfruit avatars, Chakka Varuthathu stands tall, irresistible, and unpretentious. It’s one of those things we never really grew out of.
To make it, the process is simple, yet sacred. Fully ripe jackfruit bulbs-not overripe and sticky, but firm and golden-are sliced into thin strips. Then they are deep-fried slowly in coconut oil, the kind that fills the house with that unmistakable smell which says someone is making something good.
For the Malayali, Chakka Varuthathu is more than food. It’s after-school hunger. It’s what waited in the steel tin in Ammachi’s kitchen. It’s what travelled with us to Gulf homes in zip-lock pouches, survived long train journeys, and still managed to stay crisp. It’s also the easiest thing to make disappear from the table.
And let’s admit it-we don’t really need an occasion to fry a batch. Watching rain pour outside? Fry some chakka. Unexpected guests? Pull out the dried bulbs and heat the uruli. Tea time? You already know the answer.
In a time when snacks are increasingly packaged and flavoured and extruded into things we don’t quite understand, Chakka Varuthathu remains comfortingly real. No preservatives. No artificial anything. Just jackfruit, oil, some salt and a whole lot of heart.
That’s the magic of Chakka Varuthathu. Not just a snack, but a crunchy, golden fragment of Kerala’s soul.
Chakka Varuthathu
Ingredients
Instructions
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Chakka Varuthathu or Jack fruit chips are Keralite’s favourite tea time snack of all time
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First job is to separate jack fruit flesh from the threads, After completion, remove seeds
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Next step cut them in to long pieces, As you see how Jack fruit chips looks
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Now let’s boil Oil, Now put Jack fruit flesh pieces in to hot Oil
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Let’s deep fry it on high flame, When it turn to golden colour, turn to low flame
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Mix water and salt and sprinkle it over chips. (Do it with great care)
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Now remove the chips from the oil.
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Chakka Varuthathu aka Jackfruit Chips is ready