The smell of jackfruit gatti takes me home to Mangaluru, where monsoon rains meet culinary magic. It is a taste that echoes memories of my mother and the warmth of my native place.
Pelakai (Jack fruit) Gatti
Ripe Jackfruit pods (deseeded) – two-and-half cups
Jaggery – half cup
Cardamom powder – quarter tsp
Fresh and cut coconut – 2 cups
Raw rice – 2 cups
Salt – as per taste
Teak leaves – 20
Soak two cups of raw rice for four hours. Clean and dry 20 teak leaves. Chop 2.5 cups of ripe jackfruit pods (deseeded). Grind the jackfruit pods, 0.5 cup jaggery, and 0.25 tsp cardamom powder without adding water. Add two cups of fresh coconut and soaked rice to the jackfruit mixture. Grind into a fine batter without water, adding rice in batches if needed. Spread a thin layer of batter on teak leaves, fold into an envelope shape, and steam in an idli steamer for 30 minutes on high flame. Unfold the leaves, and your Pelakai Gatti is ready. The teak leaves will impart a beautiful orange-red colour and add flavour to the dish. Enjoy!
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Smitha Ravi Prashanth is a homemaker from Karnataka