Crack open the shells of the fruits with a stone or other heavy kitchen tool

Using a spoon, scoop out the pulp and remove any large fibres

Wash the shells in drinking water and save the liquid to sweeten and have as a juice/sharbat

Back to the pulp: you can leave the seeds in, or you can choose to remove these. Press through a strainer to extract just the pulp, if you wish. If the pulp is already very thick and sticky, you may need to add a little water to help with this step.

Heat a little good quality cold pressed sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the prepared vilampazham pulp and cook this for a few minutes. Keep the heat low and stir continuously or frequently to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Prepare the jaggery syrup by heating the jaggery in a ¼ cup water and boiling it to a one-string consistency.

Pour this into the cooking vilampazham and mix well. Continue to stir and mix as you would a thokku or a halva until the mixture is thick, paste-like and gathering in the center of your pan—this could take just a few minutes or a little longer. Don’t overcook the jam.

If you’re using dry red chillies: Add the sesame oil a spoonful at a time, mixing well to incorporate and saving the last few spoonfuls for the finishing

Heat the remaining spoonfuls of sesame oil and toast the dry chilli pieces until fragrant and browning. Pour this into the jam and add the salt. Test for sweetness, adding more jaggery syrup if necessary.

If you are using chilli powder: Add the oil a spoonful at a time, and follow with the chilli powder and salt. You can taste-test at this point, and adjust sweetness or spice by adding more jaggery syrup and/or chilli powder.

If you’re using cardamom powder: Add the oil a spoonful at a time. You can taste-test at this point, and adjust sweetness or spice by adding more jaggery syrup if necessary. Add the salt and finally the cardamom powder.

Allow the jam to cool, bottle, top with a few more spoonfuls of sesame oil and refrigerate for up to several weeks.