Jackfruit – Odiferous Deliciousness
For a fruit that is the size of a small watermelon to grow like a bunch of bananas just seems impossible. Is this nature gone awry? It may be puzzling, but once you get past the appearance and the smell, you will find an amazing fruit that is perfectly suited for a number of culinary treats. Let's learn more.
What is it?
Jackfruit is the largest of all fruits that grow on trees. You will find jackfruit anywhere from 8 inches to 3 feet long and can weigh as much as 100 pounds! The rind encases large bulbs of yellow, banana-tasting flesh. It's lucky we even know about jackfruit because it's a miracle anyone ever opened one. Unopened jackfruit has a strong odor similar to rotting onions. But, once you get past that smell, the flesh of the fruit is very sweet and pleasant and smells like a combination of banana and pineapple. I can only imagine the first person to open a jackfruit did it either by accident or on a dare. There is no hint from the rather unattractive, smelly, and sticky outside that anything good would be lurking inside.
The jackfruit tree is a member of the mulberry family. It is quite stately, growing as much as 70 feet tall with big glossy, evergreen leaves that are thick and leather-like. The entire tree contains a sticky, white latex and oozes out when you pick the fruit or break off a leaf. Between the awful smell of the jackfruit and the sticky ooze, I can understand why this is a fruit that is prized in some areas of the world and allowed to go to waste in others.
History
The first known use of the word 'jackfruit' was in 1563 by the naturalist Dr. Garcia de Orta. With archeological diggings finding evidence of jackfruit more than 3000 years ago in India, we know this plant has a rich and far reaching history. Beyond these findings in India, the tree has been cultivated in many tropical regions including Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Jackfruit is also found in parts of East Africa, as well as throughout Brazil.
Jackfruit became a part of the Jamaican landscape when in 1782 plants from a captured French ship destined for Martinique were taken to Jamaica. Jackfruit is still rare in the Pacific islands, even though it was planted in Hawaii in the late 1800s. Introduced into northern Brazil in the mid-1800s, jackfruit is more popular there now than anywhere else in the New World. Florida was the recipient of jackfruit trees very late in the game and there are only a handful of jackfruit trees remaining in South Florida, making these mainly a curiosity and not for the fruit.
There are over 11,000 acres of jackfruit trees planted to Ceylon, mainly for timber, with the fruit being a nice bonus. Away from the Far East, the jackfruit has never gained the same appreciation that its close relative, the breadfruit, enjoys. Again, this could be due largely to the distinctive stench of the unopened jackfruit. However, canned jackfruit has hit more and more markets, making the whole stinky issue obsolete. With that in mind, the jackfruit may just increase in popularity as time goes on.
Health Benefits
Apart from its delightful taste, jackfruit is rich in important nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magneisum and the list goes on. Because jackfruit is such an important part of the diet and commerce of so many large regions, it has been the subject of many studies. This important food source not only provides inexpensive nutrients, but the studies show the fruit also helps protect against cancer, strengthen the immune system, aids in healthy digestion, and also helps to maintain healthy skin and eyes.
Fun Fact
The jackfruit wood has been used to make musical instruments, such as drums, lutes, and string instruments. It is also used for ornate seating in religious Hindu ceremonies. Buddhist monks have used the wood as a dye, giving their robes a light brown shade that distinguishes their sect from others.
How to Eat
If you're looking for fresh jackfruit, you most likely will find it in an Asian food specialty store. Fresh jackfruit can be eaten fully grown, but still unripe, to avoid the nasty smell. In this form, it would still have the sticky latex but you wouldn't get the stink. It would just be cut up and cooked, boiled and salted, and served as a vegetable.
A fully ripened fruit can be eaten cooked or raw, but you just have to get past the smell when you open it. Be sure if you get a ripe jackfruit to open it outside. The smell will permeate the house quickly. Once you reach the edible insides, you will find a wonderfully sweet taste that is perfect to turn into jam, jelly, chutney, or even ice cream. Jackfruit can also be made into a paste, then spread over a airy surface and allowed to dry in the sun to create a naturally chewy candy. Choose jackfruit that's somewhat firm and you will be able to can it in a simple syrup with some sort of citric acid added.
You can find jackfruit already canned or frozen. Dried jackfruit chips are available and make delicious snacks. There are plenty of ways to enjoy this fruit once you find it. With so much of the world cultivating and enjoying jackfruit, wouldn't you like to give it a try, too?
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