Why do dosas now have tender jackfruit in them?

Every time I see an idichakka (tender jackfruit), I am reminded of the taste of the idichakka thoran my aunt sent home once, packed in a slightly toasted banana leaf. Steam-cooked tender jackfruit pieces are mashed on the ammikkallu (stone mortar and pestle), stir-fried and cooked with turmeric, coconut, jeera, chillies etc to make the mildly spicy thoran. Idichakka masala fry became another favourite over the years.

But when Thiruvananthapuram-based agripreneur Rajasree R tells me that she prepares around 40 different dishes using idichakka as an ingredient, it is hard to believe. One of the signature products of her brand, Fruit n’ Root, is a soup mix. “It contains dehydrated and powdered idichakka along with jackfruit seed flour. Sometimes, dehydrated vegetables are also included in the mix,” says Rajasree, who goes on to list dishes such as shawarma, burger patties, pickles, and fritters that she makes with idichakka, either for personal consumption or on order.

Tender jackfruit soup mix
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“Idichakka goes into my curries as well, whether it’s sambar, theeyal, or a masala curry,” says Rajasree, a recipient of the State Award for Best Jackfruit Processor/Other Value Addition (2021) for developing over 400 products from jackfruit in its various forms — tender, raw, and ripe.

Tender jackfruit or idichakka
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While countless value-added products are now made from jackfruit, both raw and ripe, along with its different parts (carpels, seeds, rags, and core), idichakka — the fruit harvested at around 40 days—also has a strong market. Widely used as a vegetable in households, it has gained popularity as a healthy meat substitute, finding its way into biryani and several curries.

Puspa Lata Panda from Odisha with idlis made from tender jackfruit batter
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Puspa Lata Panda, a food entrepreneur from Bhubaneswar, Odisha, introduced something new to the market in 2021— dosa and idli batter made with tender jackfruit. “I used to make biryani, curries, pakoras, and other dishes with jackfruit. Then, during a training programme on jackfruit products at the Central Horticultural Experiment Station, I was asked to create a unique dish. Since the programme was for women from rural villages, I wanted something simple, and that’s how I came up with tender jackfruit dosa,” says Puspa, who now sells the batter to households across Odisha at ₹100 per kilogram.

The batter consists of rice and jackfruit pieces in equal proportion. “The rice is soaked for three to four hours before being ground with the jackfruit. Fermentation is not required. If a customer prefers, rice can be replaced with millets; but in that case, the millet must be soaked overnight,” explains Puspa. She runs Prerna Sroth, a brand dedicated to producing and selling “unadulterated, preservative-free” homemade food products, ranging from flours and spices to sauces, jams, and pickles.

Idlis made with tender jackfruit batter
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Puspa’s tender jackfruit dosa gained attention among jackfruit enthusiasts, thanks to renowned farm journalist Shree Padre, who has been at the forefront of the jackfruit revolution for many years. “Dosa batter made from raw jackfruit is not a novelty, especially in Kasaragod and parts of Karnataka. In fact, many families grow a ‘dosa mara’ or dosa tree, meaning the raw jackfruits from that tree are ideal for making dosa. But tender jackfruit dosa was something entirely new for all of us. When I shared the recipe in our group of jackfruit enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, many tried it at home and succeeded. A few homemakers in Karnataka even took it a step further—Sheela Umesh Hatthokkalu made parathas, while Divya Praveen Mundolimoole prepared rotis,” says Shree Padre.

Rajasree R
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Rajasree adds that she, too, has been making tender jackfruit dosa for several years. “I am planning to expand my business and hope to start selling this batter soon. Since I have stocked frozen jackfruit, I will be able to ensure an uninterrupted supply,” she says.

Shree Padre notes that once this year’s batch of tender jackfruits are ready, probably by March, at least 500 people from their jackfruit community group are expected to start making the batter.

Curry made with tender jackfruit 
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Although the ideal time to get tender fruit is February end or early March, the season has already commenced in some parts of Kerala. According to Manu Chandran, managing director of Chakkakkoottam International, a WhatsApp group-turned-company in Ernakulam, the demand for all jackfruit products is on the rise and tender jack is no exception. “We sell frozen idichakka pieces along with frozen gravy. This has a shelf life of two years. Tender jack cutlets are hot-sellers, and so too are burger patty. The products go to the markets in the US and the UK, besides parts of Kerala and several North Indian states,” says Manu. Since the season is a few weeks away, tender jack is sold at higher rates, going up to ₹40 or even more per kilogram. Once it is available in plenty, it would come down to single digit figures.

P Shyam Nair, an Ernakulam-based jackfruit campaigner, has been selling ready-to-cook idichakka pieces (200 grams for ₹55) in supermarkets and vegetable shops across Kochi for the past four years under his brand, Jackmatter.

Ready-to-cook idichakka from Jackmatter in Ernakulam
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“Instead of growing traditional varieties, I have Vietnam Super Early and two Malaysian varieties—J33, which is considered the sweetest, and Daeng Suriya—on my farm in Mulanthuruthy. These varieties are easier to harvest as the trees are not as tall as commonly grown ones. Unlike the traditional varieties, tender fruits of these trees will be usually ready by the end of April,” says Shyam.

A popular idichakka product comes from Kannur-based Artocarpus Foods Pvt Ltd, which sells tender jackfruit pieces packed in retort pouches—a method where food is heat-treated inside the packaging. “We have customised packets, and several restaurant chains are regular buyers. Our other products include burger patties and tender jackfruit gravies and curries,” says Subhash Koroth, who runs the venture.

Retort packaging allows the product to be stored at ambient temperatures, extending its shelf life. Branded as Hebon, the product is priced between ₹200 and ₹250 per kilogram. “Europe is a huge market for us. While the demand for tender jackfruit products is rising exponentially overseas, domestic demand is yet to pick up,” Subhash adds.

Tender jackfruit product from Mayuresh Agro Products in Maharashtra
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Mayuresh Arvind Purohit, who runs Mayuresh Agro Products at Kudal, Maharashtra, also says that domestic consumption of tender jack products is less. However, there is an increase in demand from hotels and restaurants for their ready-to-cook tender jackfruit sold in retort pouches, under the brand name, Abhikalp. “Retort pouches have a two-year shelf life. We sell within Maharashtra itself,” says Mayuresh. The pouches are priced ₹60 (200 grams) and ₹110 (500 grams).

Meanwhile, JACME, the brand of Pristine Tropical Fruits and Agro Products, Malappuram, has two idichakka products—frozen pieces and the thoran. “Idichakka thoran is exported to the UK, New Zealand and Qatar and has a shelf life of two years. Frozen pieces are sent to stores in GCC (comprising six countries in Persian Gulf). There is definitely a growth in demand for tender jack. Until three years ago it was either going waste or transported in enormous quantities to other states. Now the fruit is even directly purchased from Kerala and is flown the same night itself to West Asia,” says Tom C Kavalackal, owner of the company.

A kid posing with tender jackfruit dosa 
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Shree Padre observes that it is high time that Kerala realises the potential of tender jackfruit. “Idichakka is transported in whopping quantities to north India every year. If that is processed here and sold in domestic markets as fresh, frozen or in retort packs, vegetable dependency can be brought down to a great extent. Brining is another process that can be taken up. Although unripe jack is stored in brine in certain parts of the country, we haven’t started doing it with tender jack. Sri Lanka is an expert in this and we can definitely adopt that,” he adds.