“Jackfruit is going to revolutionise our food habits. There is going to be a huge demand for jackfruit soon,” M.P. Rejul Kumar, president of Green View, an organisation of organic farmers, is quite confident. From the number of jackfruit products on display at ‘Adukkala’, a festival of traditional food items, organised by Green View, one would feel that his confidence is not misplaced.
Beginning from jackfruit jam, jelly, pickle and squash, the festival also features pickle from the outer skin of jackfruit, murukku, halwa and the traditional Chakkapuzhukku. Jackfruits of various kinds are also in great demand. The other major varieties include squashes from pith of banana, lemon and ginger; pineapple pickle; banana pith pickle; dried mango pickle; banana jam; Robusta banana chips; banana jelly; banana toffee; and unadulterated coffee powder. The Thazhuthama curry, Cheera puttu, palpayasam, steamed tapioca, Karimeen Pollichathu and the quintessential rice broth with coconut chutney are also on great demand. To add spice to the seasonal food variants, there is Neera combined with the traditional ‘shaap curries’ made of fish and chicken, a major attraction of the festival.
This is the second edition of Adukkala being organised by Green View, which had also organised a month-long monsoon food festival in the city last year. Raw materials are all directly sourced from the various farms of Green View or from authorised suppliers. At least a dozen volunteers of Green View are part of the festival supported by the Regional Agricultural Research Station of Kerala Agricultural University at Ambalavayal in Wayanad.
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The festival concludes on May 25.