Jackfruit

The jackfruit

My local Indian grocery store is like a gastronomer's wonderland, I wander around and often wonder how to cook and bake with those unusual looking, marvelously scented fresh fruit and vegetables that they have on display. I seriously need a guide...

For weeks there was this giant sweet scented fruit. First I was wondering about the name, then about the origin, finally about the taste. I am glad that my curiosity made me try this very not European fruit. For us where the autumn is rainy and grey, and the winter is even less desirable these type of fruits are the representation of sunny warm weather, where we wish ourselves when the summer goes away.

It is called the jackfruit, and it is the largest tree-borne fruit. Southwestern India (Goa, Karnataka, Kerala) is the home of this oval shaped, thick and prickly green skinned, sweet tasting giant fruit. The pale yellow flesh somewhat chewy, the texture is really interesting, and tastes like pineapple and mango at the same time. The seeds are also edible, you can boil them like chestnuts.