Healthy Eating: Nutritious Jackfruit Dumplings

Kumbilappam is an authentic snack of Kerala. It is made at most homes in Kerala during the Jackfruit season. These Jackfruit Dumplings are prepared using ripe jackfruit puree, jaggery, grated coconut, cumin seed powder, cardamom powder and rice flour. This snack has different names in different parts of Kerala such as Chaka kumbulappam, Chakka Appam, Vazhanayappam and Theraliyappam. The mixture is wrapped and steamed in Indian Bay leaves which imparts a special fragrance.

Ingredients:

• Ripe jackfruit pods/bulbs – 2cups
• Jaggery -1 cup (adjust according to your taste)
• Grated coconut – 1 cup
• Rice flour(roasted) – 2 cups
• Powdered cardamom – ½ tsp
• Crushed/powdered cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Bay leaves – 12 
• A pinch of Salt 

Method:

1. Remove the seeds from jackfruit pods and pressure cook the jackfruit for 2-3 whistles.
2. After cooling, blend it into a smooth paste in a mixer and transfer it to a bowl.
3. Add jaggery, grated coconut, cardamom powder, cumin seed powder and salt and just pulse it (do not make it like a paste).
4. Add this mixture to the jackfruit puree and mix well.
5. Add roasted rice flour little by little and make a smooth dough out of it which is not too hard. If the dough is hard, add little water and don’t worry if the dough is slightly liquidy. The rice flour will absorb the moisture.
6. Cover and keep aside for about 10 minutes.
7. Make cones from the bay leaves using a toothpick. Leave the upper edge of the leaf to close the cone.
8. Put the dough into the cone and cover the top with the upper edge of the leaf. Continue the process until the entire dough is used up.
9. Place these yummy dumplings in a steamer and steam it for 30-45 minutes.
10. Serve warm! Once cool, you can store these jackfruit dumplings in a fridge and steam them before eating! 

Quick Tips 

• You can use banana leaves if bay leaves are not available
• You can also transfer the prepared smooth dough into a plate (brush a little ghee) and steam it in a steamer until done.

Health Benefits of Jackfruit Dumplings

• The fruit is made of easily digestible bulbs with simple sugars that when eaten, replenish energy. 100g of jackfruit gives 94 calories, 1g protein, 2g dietary fiber.
• It’s rich in vitamin C. Hence, it improves the immune system and slows aging of the skin. 
• High in antioxidants – Carotenoids, the pigments that give jackfruit its yellow colour, are high in vitamin A. These protect cells from damage, prevent eye diseases and heart diseases. Vitamin A is capable of keeping mucous membrane and skin healthy. Beta carotene present in the jackfruit lowers the risk of lung disease and oral cancer.
• It has the potential to reduce the risk of heart disease due to its content of potassium, magnesium and fiber. Being a rich source of potassium, it has the ability to control heart rate and high blood pressure. The magnesium content helps in the absorption of calcium and strengthens the bones.
• Improves the digestion as it is rich in soluble and insoluble fiber thereby and keeps your bowel movements regular.
• It is a rich source of iron and helps in keeping anaemia at bay and improves blood circulation too.
• Being rich in copper, it helps in thyroid metabolism especially in hormone production and absorption.

We hope you enjoy this delicious Jackfruit Dumpling recipe! Do try it out and let us know your experience in the comments below. 

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