Jackfruit as a Meat Substitute?

Many of us have heard of the Jackfruit, especially if we live in Asia. But many of us do not know of the various different ways a Jackfruit can be consumed.

A jackfruit (also known as Nangka in Bahasa Indonesia) is a tropical fruit originated from Southern India and is rarely found in the United States. The fruit is enormous in size and prickly on the outside. When cracked open, each jackfruit contains pods which holds both the flesh and seed of the fruit. A single jackfruit can contain hundreds of yellow fruit pods.

Jackfruits are loaded with many nutrients and health benefits. It is rich in protein, potassium, calcium, dietary fiber and iron, which are contributors to the growth and health of our body, just to name a few. These benefits aid in good digestion and helps reduce the risk of heart diseases.

Not only can jackfruits be eaten ripe, but it can also be eaten as a cooked snack, where the fruit is cut into thin slices and deep fried to create a snack called “Jackfruit Chips”. Jackfruit Chips are a great alternative instead of reaching out for your usual potato chips, as it contains more nutritional benefits than the latter.

Did you know that even the seeds of a Jackfruit can be consumed? Jackfruit seeds are highly nutritious and can be boiled to be eaten on its own. It contains Vitamin A and antioxidants, which aids in the growth of healthy hair and maintaining of good eyesight.

Due to its versatility, Jackfruits can also be used as a meat substitute, but only when it is unripe (less sweet). As the texture of a jackfruit is chewy and tender, many vegetarian options for various dishes make use of the fruit to recreate meat with different kinds of herbs and spices for seasoning to add flavour to the “meat”. One of the most common western menu options includes the classic “Pulled Pork Burger”.

Jackfruits can be used in different cuisines to innovate a dish, in creating something even more different and unique. We had the opportunity to speak to one our very own Chef Instructor of Asian Cuisine in At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy, Chef Rapeepat Boriboon (Chef A).

Chef A is specialized in Thai Cuisine. He shared with us that back home in Thailand, Jackfruits are commonly consumed and used to replace meat in certain dishes. He feels that the jackfruit resembles chicken meat as it contains a lot of fibers, and this is one of the reasons why he uses the fruit in his recipes.