The Jackfruit is a large spiny intimidating fruit with origins in Asia and India. Its size and form is unusual, but do not be deterred. Inside the spiny protective walls of this giant ball is the sweetest fruit that is sometimes described as the fruit of 7 flavors. In the flavor profile one can detect that of mango, pineapple, guava, and others.
It is also known as "the bubblegum plant", due to its similarity to the flavor of the juicy fruit bubblegum brand. I personally find the taste quite difficult to describe; it is a combo of sweet with multiple different floral hues.
It can be found growing in tropical zones all around the world. The jackfruit tree is resilient and productive. Which is to say it does not need much care in it's cultivation and produces a wildly abundant harvest. For this reason in this zone the fruit is affordable. With prices ranging from 2-5USD for a 5kg fruit.
As someone living in the zones where this exotic fruit is
growing abundantly, I am able to reap the benefits of a very affordable, large fruit that has a lot of versatile uses in the kitchen. And the next few blogs, I will be exploring recipes, and I invite you to join on this journey with me.
What I have found is that nearly every part of the fruit is edible and nutritious. The only part that is not is the spiny, bitter hard shell. Be fore warned, in the chopping of this fruit to get to the delicious insides, you have to navigate the sticky latex that is excreted from the membranes as they're broken by the knife. For this reason it's recommended that you oil the knife and your hands to prevent issues.