Jackfruit is a mysterious food. I'd seen it before, sitting with the other produce at the Asian and Indian stores, or served as a BBQ "pulled pork" imitation, but I've never had the guts to try it.
First of all let me just show you what these things look like!
They are huge! So I bought a quarter of one that had already been sliced.
I learned from another lady buying some that when eating it fresh and ripe you want the outside of the jackfruit to be turning brown and the flesh of the fruit inside to be yellow. She also told me that when it's eaten in savory dishes like curry, it's used green and includes some of the fiber between the fruit.
Ours seemed to further ripen after we bought it and was bright yellow by the time I cut it up. Simply slice through the fibrous parts and use a spoon to scoop out the yellow fruit. You also have to pick out a few seeds, but they are huge and you can't miss them.
It is delicious!! It's not juicy, but it's got a soft firm texture that tastes just like Juicy Fruit Gum. It's great for snacking on, it seems like it would travel well without bruising too.
Next up I have to try it in a savory dish, but apparently its easier to buy canned green jackfruit rather than prepare it yourself. I'll let you know how it goes when I do!
Please leave a comment if you have any suggestions or other fun uses for jackfruit!
