Jackfruit is a jack of all fruits

Spiky, aromatic and full of nutrients, jackfruit is now becoming the world’s preferred meat alternative, writes Arti Das

Jackfruit, which is considered the biggest fruit in the world, is full of spikes, has a strong aroma, and is heavy and tedious to harvest but what makes it special is its sugary sweet pods and the fact that the fruit is high in protein, fibre, potassium, vitamin B, and low in carbohydrates.

One can relish this fruit in so many ways — not just having it ripe but also when it is added to curries, bhakris (flatbread), cutlets, fried chips, and even a cake. Along with its pulp or pods, its seeds also have tremendous usage; now even flour and coffee are made from it. .Due to all these factors, this fruit is becoming the world’s preferred meat alternative.
But, when we look back at our traditional dishes, it has always had a special place. In coastal regions like Goa, where this tree grows in backyards, its fruit is used in a variety of ways.

In Goa, the summer season starts with delicacies made from baby jackfruit locally known as chako. It is used to make curries or chutney known as sushel and is also a star ingredient in the local delicacy khatkhate. When the fruit is ripe, its yellow-coloured pods are eaten and it is one of the most common ways of eating this fruit. In Goa, the fruit is divided into two categories — kapo, that has firm pods, and rassal which has juicy and gluey pods. That’s not all! The real fun starts while cutting this fruit as it has a lot of gum, especially the kapo variety. It has to be cut by oiling the knife or sickle, one’s hands, and then carefully removing the pods from its rind, seeds, etc. However, that’s the best part for some as it helps to develop a relationship with your food.

Photographer Assavri Kulkarni, who loves to cook and document local and seasonal delicacies, makes it a point to teach this whole process to her daughter. “I wanted to show my daughter how jackfruit is cut just the way my grandmother would show us. I remember she used to oil our hands, and then start the whole procedure. It could be cumbersome to look at, but it is also very meditative in a way,” says Assavri.

For her, this fruit brings back memories of making pansache saath (jackfruit leather) with her grandmother. “At my parental home, we used to have the tree right in front of our house. Of the many dishes, the one I clearly remember is made of saath (leather) by my grandmother. It is made from the pulp of rasaal jackfruit. And my job was to churn that mixture. And I used to dislike it mainly due to its gooey texture. Also, I like to eat fruits when they are cooked,” states Assavri. She usually makes jackfruit-based curry by making a paste of roasted coconut, coriander seeds, chillies, and tamarind. This paste is cooked with semi-ripened jackfruit and then a tadka or seasoning of mustard seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves is added. She also makes jackfruit cutlets. That’s not all, as she also makes delicacies from jackfruit rind, which is usually thrown away. For this, she first sun dries the rind and then cooks it with mango pulp and jaggery and stores it in a jar which can be eaten for a few days.

Speaking of leaves, jackfruit leaves are used in making a local dish known as wheeat which resembles the south Indian idli. The batter of this dish is steamed in cones made from these leaves. This gives an added flavour and aroma to the dish. Along with pods, jackfruit seeds have equal importance. They are never thrown away but are preserved by coating them with mud or layered in the sand and are used to add flavour and body to any curry or just boiled or roasted.