[
   {
      "value":"apple",
      "children":[
         {
            "value":"green-apple",
            "children":[

            ]
         },
         {
            "value":"red-apple",
            "children":[
               {
                  "value":"asia-red-apple",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"europe-red-apple",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"africa-red-apple",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               }
            ]
         }
      ]
   },
   {
      "value":"grape",
      "children":[
         {
            "value":"green-grape",
            "children":[
               {
                  "value":"asia-europe-green-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"asia-africa-green-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"africa-europe-green-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               }
            ]
         },
         {
            "value":"red-grape",
            "children":[
               {
                  "value":"asia-red-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"europe-red-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"africa-red-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               }
            ]
         }
      ]
   }
]

[
   {
      "value":"apple",
      "children":[
         {
            "value":"green-apple",
            "children":[

            ]
         },
         {
            "value":"red-apple",
            "children":[
               {
                  "value":"asia-red-apple",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"europe-red-apple",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"africa-red-apple",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               }
            ]
         }
      ]
   },
   {
      "value":"grape",
      "children":[
         {
            "value":"green-grape",
            "children":[
               {
                  "value":"asia-europe-green-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"asia-africa-green-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"africa-europe-green-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               }
            ]
         },
         {
            "value":"red-grape",
            "children":[
               {
                  "value":"asia-red-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"europe-red-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               },
               {
                  "value":"africa-red-grape",
                  "children":[

                  ]
               }
            ]
         }
      ]
   }
]

function recursiveSearch (coll, str, level) {
    if(!level) level = 0;
    console.log('level', level, ' coll size before job', coll.length);
    let removalValuesForThisLevel = [];
    let temp = [].concat(coll);
    temp.forEach(mem => {
        if(mem.children && mem.children.length > 0) {
            // recursive if has child
            let subList = recursiveSearch(mem.children, str, level + 1);
            mem.children = (subList) ? subList : null;
        } else {
            if((mem.value || '').indexOf(str) > -1) {
                // collect according values
                // console.log(mem.value,' is match for string :: ', str);
            } else {
                // collect removal values
                // console.log(mem.value,' is not match for string :: ', str);
                removalValuesForThisLevel.push(mem.value);
            }
        }
    });

    temp = temp.filter(mem => {
        return mem.children && (removalValuesForThisLevel.indexOf(mem.value) < 0);
    });

    console.log('level', level, ' coll size AFTER job', temp.length, JSON.stringify(temp))
    return (temp.length > 0) ? temp : (level === 0) ? [] : null;
}