I love Florida and specifically, Miami. Why? It is almost the Caribbean and as a result, most of our native flora and fauna (lizards I can do without) thrive here. On Wednesday a co-worker asked if I cared for a breadfruit. "Yes," I quickly replied since the only place I have seen a "live" breadfruit is in Key West. Well, it turned out on Thursday morning the breadfruit was in fact a Jackfruit. The cloying, sticky-sweet scent, coiled out of the plastic bag as soon as I opened it.
Not wanting to have that particular brand of air-freshening all the way home I deposited it the back of my truck. (If you are not familiar with any of this, Wikipedia has beautiful pictures). Anyway to continue the story. The Jackfruit proved to be very ripe - a little too much so for my liking as a plain snack. So, Internet to the rescue. I typed in jackfruit recipes and Viola! Scads of recipes popped up including a Biryani that I must take a shot at as soon as I find a green Jackfruit.
Anyway, last night the versatility of the the Jackfruit became evident as I carefully removed a light and airy, yellow gold cake from the oven. Yep - a Jackfruit cake. I kept the recipe as simple as it was written adding only a splash of rum and a teaspoon of grated nutmeg to the mix. My freezer has a small container of Jackfruit pods to make pancakes at a later time.
Oh, I must mention the large cherry-tomato-sized seeds of the Jackfruit. Boiled in slightly salted water for about an hour, one has the added delight of a slightly sweet, potato-textured or boiled-peanut type edible that can be mashed (if there is enough of them) and served as a side dish. Like the boiled peanuts however, its just more fun to shell and eat without wondering how much starch is being consumed. Talk about fun!
Who can forget green Jackfruit pods added to soup, fat Jackfruit seeds popping as they roast in the hearth, and luscious barely-ripe Jackfruit pods shaken in a jar with a generously accompaniment of scotch bonnet peppers, salt and vinegar. I would be considerably less than honest if the stomach ache from eating too much of the ripe fruit was not mentioned. Ow! And does anyone remeber the thick, gooey, stretchy, gum that had the power to doom anything with which it came in contact? Awww, childhood.
Thanks Margaret. The Jackfruit was really good..
Not wanting to have that particular brand of air-freshening all the way home I deposited it the back of my truck. (If you are not familiar with any of this, Wikipedia has beautiful pictures). Anyway to continue the story. The Jackfruit proved to be very ripe - a little too much so for my liking as a plain snack. So, Internet to the rescue. I typed in jackfruit recipes and Viola! Scads of recipes popped up including a Biryani that I must take a shot at as soon as I find a green Jackfruit.
Anyway, last night the versatility of the the Jackfruit became evident as I carefully removed a light and airy, yellow gold cake from the oven. Yep - a Jackfruit cake. I kept the recipe as simple as it was written adding only a splash of rum and a teaspoon of grated nutmeg to the mix. My freezer has a small container of Jackfruit pods to make pancakes at a later time.
Oh, I must mention the large cherry-tomato-sized seeds of the Jackfruit. Boiled in slightly salted water for about an hour, one has the added delight of a slightly sweet, potato-textured or boiled-peanut type edible that can be mashed (if there is enough of them) and served as a side dish. Like the boiled peanuts however, its just more fun to shell and eat without wondering how much starch is being consumed. Talk about fun!
Who can forget green Jackfruit pods added to soup, fat Jackfruit seeds popping as they roast in the hearth, and luscious barely-ripe Jackfruit pods shaken in a jar with a generously accompaniment of scotch bonnet peppers, salt and vinegar. I would be considerably less than honest if the stomach ache from eating too much of the ripe fruit was not mentioned. Ow! And does anyone remeber the thick, gooey, stretchy, gum that had the power to doom anything with which it came in contact? Awww, childhood.
Thanks Margaret. The Jackfruit was really good..
