Chakka varattiyathu

Today Shari, my cousin wrote on Facebook about her first attempt to make Chakka varattiyathu and it took me back many years to the flavours and mouth watering palaharams our elder generations made.

Malathi valliamma was an expert in cooking. Her Palaharams were famous among the family. She made Boli, Chakka varattiyathu and Ila Ada in a way no one else in the family could make. It was her Kaipunniam in making all that she touched, delicious. Whoever goes to her house would get a taste of her culinary expertise and would go back home with something packed for their kids.

For many years Valliamma and Valliachan lived in Ettumanoor, and we children spent many holidays with her. Valliachan was very religious and followed all Hindu rituals and taught them to us through stories and keerthanams. He wrote many songs or keerthanams.

Malathi Valliamma spent most of her time in kitchen. The bharanis were always full with Chakka Varuthathu, Varattiyathu, Upperi, Sharkara varatti, Avaloose podi, chammanthi podi, murukku, and what not……She could make everything..If we were lucky, we would land there when Ada and Boli were made. As that cannot be stored long, only the lucky ones got their hands on them.

My mother too made use of all chakka and mango available in the house and would keep them stored and wait for her children to visit from other states. Kumari valliamm's speciality was the laddus made of rice, jaggery and coconut, what we call 'Mavunda'. It would just melt in the mouth.

The last time I visited she gave us those freshly made laddus. Me & children ate them all, little knowing that it was her last, and she would leave us forever after 2 days.....The soft spoken, loving Kumari valliamma who loved us all as her own children is still fresh in our memories....Now Amma, Valliamma, chitta and all others are all gone . Bharathi chitta was the last to go and her daughter Sharadakutty is trying to keep the tradition of chakka varatti alive..If Chitta succeeded in making the mouth water with the smell of Chakka varattiyathu, Shari published it in Facebook to make some mouths water….Anyway I’ll try the taste of her 5 hour long Bhageeratha Prayathnam and give a comment on that family special dish…..Till then............