Fruit
Artocarpus heterophyllus
S tier
Artocarpus heterophyllus is jackfruit—the enormous compound fruit of a tropical Asian tree, with yellow aromatic bulbs (arils) around seeds when ripe and firm starchy flesh when young for savoury “pulled” dishes. Latex is sticky; oil your knife. Ripe smell is strong sweet tropical; unripe is neutral starch-protein meal base. Buy whole or pre-cut; young jack in brine/can for vegan shreds; ripe bulbs fresh or frozen. Seeds boil or roast edible. South and Southeast Asian cuisines are authoritative; Western meat-substitute use is recent volume driver. Fully ripe fruit yields to smell and colour change.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
Jackfruit was long cultivated in India and Southeast Asia as a staple fruit-tree crop.
Tropical trade spread Artocarpus heterophyllus further across warm regions.
Canned young jackfruit entered global vegetarian cooking.
Western plant-based demand spiked young jackfruit as a shred texture food.