Breadfruit is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family originating in the South Pacific and eventually spreading to the rest of Oceania.
Have you ever heard of the breadfruit? This prickly oval fruit is very popular throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, and when cooked, it tastes similar to you guessed it! freshly baked bread.
Breadfruit is most commonly used as a vegetable, and is a staple food in many tropical countries. The starch-rich breadfruit tastes similar to potatoes, though riper varieties taste sweeter because the starch converts to sugar.
Breadfruit is delicious mashed or sautéed with garlic and oil. Some people also like to eat it mashed with coconut milk and baked in banana leaves. In Sri Lanka, it often features in coconut curries, and in Puerto Rico, it’s traditionally eaten with salted codfish.
This versatile fruit can also be candied, pickled, or cut into strips to make breadfruit French fries. Some people even use breadfruit pulp to make paper!
Where can you buy breadfruit? Many Caribbean specialty food stores carry them, and you can also try your local farmers’ market.
When selecting a breadfruit, make sure is firm and has greenish-yellow skin, with only a little brown cracking. Unripe fruits have bright green flesh and secrete white sap when cut.
Is breadfruit good for you?
Health Benefits. Breadfruit is high in carbohydrates and a good source of antioxidants, calcium, carotenoids, copper, dietary fiber, energy, iron, magnesium, niacin, omega 3, omega 6, phosphorus, potassium, protein, thiamine, vitamin A and vitamin C.
What is breadfruit used for?
Breadfruit is most commonly used as a vegetable, and is a staple food in many tropical countries. The starch-rich breadfruit tastes similar to potatoes, though riper varieties taste sweeter because the starch converts to sugar. Breadfruit is delicious mashed or sautéed with garlic and oil.
Is a breadfruit a fruit or vegetable?
Culinarily it's a vegetable when mature but not ripe - like eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, etc, but a culinary fruit when ripe. Its definition has no scientific value and is somewhat arbitrary and subjective...
Is breadfruit and jackfruit the same thing?
Jackfruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus, is a member of the mulberry family. Its outer shell looks similar to the breadfruit except that it's huge, but it is said to be an acquired taste, sort of like pineapple but not as juicy.
What does breadfruit taste like?
Breadfruit is a staple food in many tropical regions. Most breadfruit varieties produce fruits throughout the year. Before being eaten, the fruits are roasted, baked, fried or boiled. When cooked, the taste of moderately ripe breadfruit is described as potato-like, or similar to freshly baked bread.
Is Breadfruit the same as durian?
In terms of phyiscal appearance, both tend to look the same, but the jackfruit has a rough pebbly shell while the durian has a spikey shell. The insides look very much different, and the tastes are vastly different too. The jackfruit, with the insides is more of a sweetish fruit.
What is the nutritional value of breadfruit?
Breadfruit contains moderate levels of essential vitamins and minerals. It is rich in riboflavin, iron, niacin, thiamin, iron and phosphorus. It contains minerals like potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, selenium and phosphorus. It also contains adequate levels of protein.
How do you cook a breadfruit?
Place quarters skin-side down in a pan filled with about an inch of salted water; add garlic if desired. Boil 12-15 minutes or until the flesh is easily pierced with a fork, but still firm. Remove breadfruit from pan and let it cool. Peel and cut into crescent-shaped slices, about 1/4th-inch thick.
How long does it take to roast breadfruit?
Place the breadfruit accordingly in the middle of the oven to roast. The cooking time will vary depending on the size. Half a breadfruit should take roughly an hour and a whole one should take 1 hr 30 minutes. Once cooked it should be soft and easy to pierce/prick with a knife.
How do you eat bread properly?
Set your piece of bread on the bread plate as well (obvious, but bears mentioning). Now here is the tricky part for some people. Tear off a bite-size piece of bread. Hold the piece with your fingers (not in the palm of your hand and not on the plate), use your knife to butter it, and eat it.
Do breadfruit have seeds?
The fruits of the breadnut are similar in size to the breadfruit. The shape is more oblong and the outer skin is rather spiny. The inside has little flesh, but contains numerous chestnut-like seeds. The seeds are eaten when boiled, steamed or roasted.
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