Jackfruit Elayappam came into my life during a Kerala home stay I stumbled into years ago, somewhere outside Thrissur, when the family I was staying with decided a rainy afternoon was exactly the right time to make it. The grandmother of the house, completely unbothered by the weather outside, was already mashing jackfruit by the time I walked into the kitchen.
What stayed with me was not just the taste but the smell of the banana leaf as it steamed — that faint green, grassy note underneath all the sweetness. I have made this recipe more times than I can count since then, and I still take my time with the preserve. Rushing the jaggery syrup is where most people go wrong, and I learned that the hard way on my second attempt, when it stayed too loose and slid right out of the dough.
About the Recipe
Making this recipe is a two-session job if you plan it right. The jackfruit preserve can be made a day ahead, which breaks the work into manageable stretches. The dough itself comes together quickly — about 20 minutes from boiling water to rolled-out portions. All the main ingredients, ripe jackfruit, jaggery, rice flour, and coconut, are easy to find in any Indian grocery. I make this most often for Onam or when I have a large piece of jackfruit that is perfectly ripe and I want to use it before it turns.
Why you will love this recipe
The preserve does most of the heavy lifting here. Once you have cooked down the jackfruit with jaggery and ghee into that thick, jammy filling, you already have something worth eating on its own.
Wrapping it inside rice flour dough and steaming it on banana leaf sections means the final result has at least three distinct textures — the slight chew of the rice flour, the soft dense filling, and the faint crispness at the folded edges where the dough sealed. The banana leaf does something to the flavour during steaming that you genuinely cannot replicate with parchment or foil. I keep coming back to this recipe specifically because it is one of the few sweets that feels substantial without being heavy, and the cardamom in the preserve carries through every bite cleanly.
Cooking Tips
The preserve must be thick enough to hold its shape on the dough — if it spreads the moment you spoon it, cook it longer. I made that mistake once and ended up with filling that oozed out during folding. On the dough side, beginners often add the flour too fast into the boiling water, which creates lumps that are nearly impossible to knead out later.
Go slowly, stir constantly, and let it cool for a few minutes before you start kneading. Wipe the banana leaves completely dry before spreading the dough — any moisture and the dough will stick and tear.
Top Tips
- Make the jackfruit preserve a day ahead and refrigerate it — it firms up overnight and is much easier to portion and spread cold.
- When spreading the dough on the banana leaf, wet your fingers lightly with water. This stops the dough from sticking to your hands and gives you a thinner, more even layer.
- Press the folded edges firmly with the flat of your fingers to seal them, or the filling will push through during steaming.
- Check your steamer water halfway through the 30-minute steam. Running out of water at the 20-minute mark means starting over.
- Rice flour brands vary in how much water they absorb. If the dough feels sticky after kneading, add a small pinch more flour rather than pressing on with a tacky dough.
- Do not skip straining the jaggery syrup before adding the jackfruit — jaggery often has small stones or grit, and you do not want those in the filling.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
This recipe makes 8 elayappams and serves 4 people as a snack or light dessert. Prep time for the preserve is roughly 45 minutes; the dough and assembly take another 30 to 35 minutes, plus 30 minutes of steaming. Serve them warm, straight off the steamer, with the banana leaf still on — peel it back at the table. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat by steaming again for 8 to 10 minutes rather than microwaving, which makes the dough rubbery.
Similar Recipes
- Kozhukatta (steamed rice flour dumplings with coconut and jaggery filling)
- Ela Ada (rice and coconut sweet steamed in banana leaf)
- Modak (steamed rice flour dumpling with coconut and jaggery, common in Maharashtra)
- Unniyappam (small fried rice and banana rounds from Kerala)
Jackfruit Elayappam
Ingredients
To make jackfruit preserve
- 4 kg ripe jackfruit mashed in a mixer
- 1 kg jaggery
- 4 cups water
- 20 gms ghee
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
Method
- Dissolve jaggery in water. Strain into a heavybottomed vessel and cook over a low flame to make into a thick syrup. Add the mashed jackfruit into the jaggery syrup. Stir well. As it thickens keep adding ghee, a litle at a time. Mix well, remove from fire and add cardamom powder.
Instructions
For Elayappam
- 2 cups jackfruit preserve
- 2 ¼ cups water
- 2 tsp refined vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups fine rice flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup coconut, grated
- Banana leaves cut into 10cm x 10cm sections
Method
- Boil 2 cups water with oil and salt. Lower the flame and gradually stir in the flour.
- Remove from fire, and knead well into a dough without any lumps. Divide the dough into eight portions.
- Dissolve sugar in ¼ cup water. Add grated coconut and cook over a low flame till the water is absorbed.
- Remove from fire and add the jackfruit preserve. Mix well. Divide the mixture into 8 portions.
- Clean and wipe dry banana leaves.
- Spread a portion of the dough evenly on a leaf, with fingers. It should be spread thin.
- Spread a portion of the jackfruit preserve evenly over one half of the dough. Fold over the other half. Press and seal the sides. Repeat till the dough and filling are used up.
- Steam the elayappams for 30 minutes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
My jackfruit preserve turned out too runny. Can I still use it?
If the preserve slides off a spoon rather than sitting in a mound, cook it further over a low flame, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to hold its shape. A runny preserve will leak through the dough during steaming and you will lose most of the filling.
Can I use canned jackfruit instead of fresh ripe jackfruit?
Canned ripe jackfruit in syrup can work, but drain and rinse it thoroughly first, then reduce the jaggery slightly since the canned fruit already carries sweetness. The flavour will be milder than fresh, but the texture of the preserve will still come together if you cook it long enough.
The dough is tearing when I try to spread it on the banana leaf. What am I doing wrong?
Two likely causes — the dough is either too dry or too warm. If it is cracking as you spread it, knead in a few drops of water. If it is sticking and pulling, let it cool for another 5 minutes before working with it. The dough should feel soft but not tacky.
How do I know when the elayappams are fully steamed?
After 30 minutes, the dough should look set and slightly translucent at the edges where it is thinnest, and the banana leaf will have darkened in colour and smell strongly fragrant. If the dough still looks chalky white in the centre, give it another 5 minutes.
Can I freeze the leftover jackfruit preserve?
Yes, the preserve freezes well in an airtight container for up to one month. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and give it a quick stir before using, as it can stiffen considerably once cold.
2 comments
Nice Recipe! I used brown sugar instead of jaggery and it worked just as fine
simple and clear recipie, wonderful outcome!!