A young breadfruitThis week’s column is all about the versatile breadfruit. It can be roasted, fried, boiled, mashed, creamed, pickled, sautéed, candied… and I’m sure that you will be able to tell me more ways in which this fruit can be prepared.
The flesh of a cut breadfruit
One of my favourite ways to have breadfruit is sliced thinly and fried. It makes a quick delicious snack that can be spiced in a variety of ways. For this post however, I have done a simple spicy sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper and coarse sea salt. It can be sliced thicker if you like. I used a mandoline to slice mine.
Breadfruit Chips
Boiled & Sliced breadfruit with saltfish, tomatoes & onions
A Vegetarian version -boiled & Sliced breadfruit with sauteed onions & tomatoesP.S. Not sure why they put such a big picture of me instead of the dishes... Oh well...
42 comments:
Thanks for the post. I had seen a breadfruit post earlier but was not sure what was being talked about.
I don't think I have had this
V nice post - I've never seen the inside of a breadfruit before, and thought it meant a small jackfruit!
beautiful pics. breadfruit is the first cousin of the jackfruit. we eat breadfruit a lot in kerala. it's called 'kadachakka'.
\WOW Cynthia,
Breadfruit has amazing geometry, and as Bee says surely looks like Jackfruit's relative...I have never seen it in Bombay though! Wonder why it's called BREADfruit:)
Is breadfruit like plantains? They both seem to lend themselves to all sorts of recipes depending on ripeness. Those chips need to be chomped on right away!
I used to eat lot of bread fruit in India,love it.Unfortunately,I don't get here,may be canned,I will have to look.
Didh looks delicious Cynthia,yum!
Cynthia, the breadfruit pictures are beautiful! As bee said it is very common in Kerala. The breadfruit chips is a new idea for me, I will ask my mom to try it, since I've only seen the frozen cubed ones here.
Reading your post reminded me of our Jamaica trip. We had the most delicious jerk chicken and breadfruit from one of those roadside shacks- jerk centers. Big pieces of roasted breadfruit was served with scrummy spicy jerk chicken in foil packets, which we ate with our hands - finger-licking good. What a great combination!
Your column is wonderful as usual... You are so right about our minds and palettes opening up more as we grow...
I wish we could get breadfruit over here! At least I know where to come if my local supermarket ever does stock it (and they do get the occasional unusual item in). I love the chips best of all!
Hay this is looking nice. Breadfruit chips superb idea. Never tasted breadfruit before. Does it taste like jackfruit?
Cynthia - I saw some breadfruit at our local Asian vegetable shop, but I did not know what it was. It looked like jackfruit and durian. Next time I see some, I will pick them up.
Hi, till now i didn't heard about this breadfruit, never seen also. But its looks great and chips are looking crispy. Thanks for introducing a healthy fruit.
Got to love that breadfruit. It's so versatile- it's delicious when creamed with some butter and a little milk (like you do potatoes) and great when it's boiled and sauteed with onions and so on.
i've been eating breadfruit all week girl :) how'd ya know :D i like to eat it roasted with sea salt and black peper, or fried like you showed, but we cut our chips thick :)
i'll be posting it soon :D :P
Cynthia, It was mixed feelings when I saw ur post...surprised to see breadfruit in ur blog and then sad that I dont get it here! Breafdruit is called 'kadachakka' in kerala and my fav preparation is Kadachakka thoran which is a stirfry with grated coconut. I just love that prep and the breadfruit chips also is something we make in Kerala...another fav of mine :) I wish I could find it here! Beautiful pics too.
Btw, U look quite pretty :) And the opening statement , It often takes being away from home to appreciate some things, particularly some foods.", VERY WELL SAID !
yummy breadfruit recipes...but here is another recipe which my mom made is to shalow fry breadfruit coated with breadcrumbs(or semolina)in oil. Slice the breadfruit (about 1 cm in thickness)and marinate it in misture of salt,chilli,turmeric.After it has marinated well(and leaves out some water) coat the slices with breadcrumbs or in my moms case semolina and shallow fry in some oil...yummy tasty and crispy
Sandeepa - You are welcome Sandeepa. You might might find it in an ethnic food store. Breadfruit I think belongs to the same family as jackfruit and another vegetable we call katahar.
Sra - hello! How are you? Welcome to my blog. I love new visitors because it gives me an opportunity to discover their blogs :)
As I just mentioned to Sandeepa, I think that it belongs to the same family of jackfruit.
Bee - Thanks for that info Bee. As always, you such a resource to me.
Nandita - a very warm welcome. I've been meaning to visit your place for sometime, I'm shamed-faced...
From the research I did, it is said to be called breadfruit because when cooked it smells like fresh bread (I haven't necessarily found so ;)) What I have found is that the texture feels like bread and is very filling.
Susan - Hiya. If you mean in terms of versatility, yeah.
Asha - as always, thanks for dropping by. I wonder what the texture would be like canned. I think they can it in Trinidad and Dominica to export to London and elsewhere.
Sig - when your mom tries it, please tell me what she thinks.
Jamaica and breadfruit, oh yeah. They L-O-V-E their breadfruit there. Oh you make me want to go to Jamaica. I'm in love with their jerk. Finger-licking, it's the only way to clean up after eating it :D
As I said in the column, it's a must-have, roasted with their Sunday lunch also.
Freya & Paul - perhaps you can coax them to bring it in ;)
Sukanya - Thanks hon. I have never had Jackfruit so I am not sure. I'll ask Bee, Asha or Sig and let you know.
Nature & Me - please do and experiement.
Jyothi - Welcome, welcome! How are you? Thanks for dropping by. Hope to see you often :)
Thanks for your kind words.
Carol Ann - you know de ting girl :D
Shn - I'm blushing :)
The stir-fry with the coconut - would love to hear more about that.
Amisup - Welcome, please stick around and make yourself comfortable. Come back and visit soon.
Thanks for sharing your mom's recipe.
Wow! This is the first time am hearing abt this fruit. Looks like young jackfruit. Does it taste like jackfruit too? Thanks for introducing me to this fruit.
hey, never tried this fruit, looks pretty exquisite. the pic of the young breadfruit looks so cute :)
And yes, you look so pretty!
Very beautifl photos Cynthia. This one will delicious with some spices and we used to make during season. Though i get it here, but not of good quality. Tks for sharing those info and photos. Viji
Cynthia, you made me realise how much i miss Breadfruit, my mom cooked it alot when we lived in Guyana, we had our own breadfruit tree and it was always laden with fruits.
Although it is common in the pacific and asia, i ahvent seen it at all here in Australia. Great post
I have heard of this before.....what a lovely shade of green it is! I loved that last veggie version with tomatoes!
Lovely picture of you in the column though, :)
trupti
Oildown, oildown... or...creamed breadfruit baked with a cheesy topping. I had breadfruit in a dessert the first and only time at Zen in Barbados,where they sweetened it and baked it in a phyllo parcel. Very good. http://flickr.com/photos/chennette/410070271/ (although you can't see the breadfruit in this shot.
As for your column - clearly your fame is growing and is now bigger than the food :-D
Breadfruit. I've never tried it and would love to. The chips look wonderfully crisp, and that vegetarian dish, smothered with onions - yum! I love your story about 'Cookie' helping you to understand what all the fuss was about!
Girl now I want some breadfruit chips.
We also made it like shoe string potatoes, those were some good snacks.
Jackfruit is what we call Katahar.
Hey, great job with the pictures.. they looks lovely. and thanx for the info on bread fruit.... Loved your write up! :)
Great post cynthia, wow those lovely photos.... those crispy snacks looks mouth watering
Is breadfruit mentioned in the children’s novel Robinson Crusoe? So I´ve heard of it, I´ve never seen this funny looking fruit, never tasted it. Hmm.. I wonder why can´t this fruit be purchased in my country? How exactly does it taste like?
oh cynth...how do i like my breadfruit? in sambar, as pakoda, in stir fries, in dosas, as chips.....its a long list;) i just looooooove breadfruit:)
that looks similar to jackfruit.
thanks for Bee's info, never have seen this one before.
Suganya - I've asked Bee and she is going to get back to me about it. As soon as I have that info, I will post it in this comments section.
Richa - hey sweetie. Have you ever seen it where you are? And thanks - pic :)
Viji - thank you very much my dear. And you are very welcome. I have often found that things such as breadfruit are difficult buys especially if you do not know what to look for, like me :)
Nicola - right in your own backyard eh? How lucky you were. I'm surprised that you don't get it down there. Really surprised actually.
Trupti - as always, you are such a darling. Thank you.
Oh gosh Chennette - I forget about de oil down!! You are so right. I guess because we don't make it in Guyana I did not remember. Thanks for reminding me. I am leaving that last comment alone (lol).
Lucy - please try it if you ever get your hand on it. The chips are soooo good :)
Cookie was something else, really nice man and I'll be forever grateful to him for the introduction to roast breadfruit as the Bajans say.
Shazeeda - how are you sweetie? Shoestring chips, oh that is dangerously good.
Shazeeda, jackfruit is not the same as the katahar we know. Katahar is also known as seeded breadfruit. The katahar, breadfruit and jackfruit are family but distinctly different.
Here is a link that talks about the difference: http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/kamansi-seeded-breadfruit
Katahar curry, I crave that. We don't get it here in Barbados.
Ramya - always a pleasure to have you over. Thanks.
Thanks Roopa, good to see you.
Hi Karin - There is no mention of breadfruit in Robinson Crusoe. I don't know if the Swedish edition has it.
When boiled it is creamy, softer and creamier than a potato. Roasted it has the texture of mashed potatoes, crunchy as chips. It can be substitued in many dishes for potatoes. It is a very filling fruit.
Sia - yes, yes, yes. :) You know exactly what to do with the breadfruit. I hope that you get it where you are.
Thanks Sharmi. Bee is good with this stuff eh?
Trinigourmet - eating it all week? Good for you! Yeah I like it roasted too. For me that is the best way to have it. Enjoy.
Update on taste of breadfruit vs jackfruit - my trusted source has informed me that jackfruit when ripe is "super sweet and very fragrant." Breadfruit is not that way when it is ripe. Hope that helps.
A very informative post...don't think I've ever had breadfruit though...now I know what to do if I ever come across them...
Thanks for leaving your comment on Rasa Malaysia. Barbados...wow, I wanted to go...isn't it like a paradise there?
I ate breadfruit "chips" when I lived in Grenada. So yummy! Yours look wonderful.
WOW !! Cynthia,
First time at your blog, boy you have a beautiful blog going.
Love the colors it brings out the beauty of the food.
Added you to my blog roll
Visit mine when u get a chance
http://sreelus.blogspot.com
Sunita - thanks hon.
Rasa Malaysia - you are welcome. You should come to Barbados and yes, it is paradise :)
Thanks Lisa
Sreelu - thank you, thank you, thank you.
I just returned from your blog :) and have added it to my blogroll.
Hi,
I haven't had breadfruit for a while. But now I find I have a craving...
I have actually had breadfruit cake. I am not exactly sure how it was made. It was many years ago when a friend of my Mom's made it and brought us some. I do remember though that it was dark - like black cake - and she had put fruits in it. It was delicious. Have you ever heard of it being prepared this way?
Cheryl - it is always a pleasure to see you here :)
Breadfruit cake, that is the first time I am hearing of it... given the texture of the typical black cake we have in the Caribbean, I am not surprised that the texture would be the same for the breadfruit cake. She must have added some flour too. Hmmmm, is there anyway for us to find out how the cake was made? I'd be very interested. Thanks for sharing.
You know Cynthia,in Brazil,this fruit is knowing by fruta pao that means bread fruit.I never tasted it ,but Iwas so curiosly to tasted
Picts are lovely.Today I am going to cook Breadfruit with prawns,Its my husband's favouite dish.I will post that soon.
Thats what I have been searching for in all the grocery stores in my area:) Thnks a lot for posting this as finally I can search it with the correct name in english. We in kerala call it "kadachakka" . I too love thin slices fried and we konkanis make a side gravy called "Ghassi" with it :)
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