J/ABC Wednesday

J is for Jackfruit

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), locally known as langka, nangka, is a species of tree of the mulberry family native to Southeast Asia, and is believed to have originated in the southwestern rain forests of India.  Fresh jackfruit can be found in the markets here---it can be eaten unripe (young) when cooked, or ripe uncooked.  The seeds maybe boiled or baked like beans.  It is usually cooked with coconut milk (ginataang langka) and pork, dried fish or shrimps.  It is also available canned or bottled in sugar syrup, or frozen.

The flesh of the jackfruit is starchy and fibrous, and is a source of dietary fiber. The flavor is similar to a tart banana. Ripe jackfruit is naturally sweet with subtle flavoring. It can be used to make a variety of dishes, including custards, cakes, halo-halo (crushed ice with a variety of fruits, milk and sugar); it also adds flavor, color and aroma to Lambanog, a local coconut arrack. Ripe jackfruit arils are sometimes seeded, fried or freeze-dried and sold as jackfruit chips.

It is one of my favorite fruits (ripe) for dessert.

The jackfruit tree is well suited to tropical lowlands, and its fruit is the largest tree-borne fruit, reaching as much as 80 pounds (36 kg) in weight and up to 36 inches (90 cm) long and 20 inches (50 cm) in diameter.  The wood of the tree is widely used in furniture, doors and windows, and traditionally used for musical instruments, specially as a hull of a kutiyapi, a two-stringed, fretted boat-lute.  Wiki

a jackfruit tree at my aunt's yard

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