Breadfruit
I first came across breadfruit whilst studying in Bangalore. There were a few fruits growing in my hostel’s garden. I remember spotting the green fruit on its tree and thinking how similar it is to a jackfruit. Later, I learnt that it was one of the sides of our dinner in the refectory. The texture of the breadfruit was similar to a potato and it tasted like yam—a delightful surprise.
— Aroona Jojo, Navi Mumbai
What is it?
Breadfruit is a fruit of its own tree that is consumed as a vegetable. It is green in colour with visible hexagon-like disks on its outer layer. This vegetable derived its name because it tastes like baked bread. When cut open, a sticky, milky sap oozes out. It may or may not have a seed, depending on the variety. The fruit ripens and turns cream in colour and is described to be fragrant. Some have associated breadfruit with jackfruit, as they appear similar. While jackfruits are larger, sweet when ripe, and can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes, breadfruits are smaller, starchier, and often used as substitutes for potatoes.
What other names does it have?
Botanical Name: Artocarpus altilis
Regional Names: Divi Halasu/ Rotti Halasu/ Sime Halasu (Kannada), Jivi Kadgi (Konkani), Kataccakka/ Seemachakka (Malayalam), Irppla (Tamil), Kura Panasa (Telugu), Nirphana/Vilayati Phanas (Marathi)
When is it in season?
Where is it found?
Breadfruit is native to New Guinea and the Pacific Islands, along with Australia and New Zealand, and the Caribbean region. The trees require hot, humid, tropical lowlands with good drainage soil. They grow best at a temperature between 21 to 32 degrees Celsius with soil conditions of a pH level 7.4 to 6.1. In India, it is cultivated and can be found in the local markets in the south and southwestern coastal areas.
What is its history/cultural significance?
The breadfruit tree carries a contentious history because British and French colonisers introduced it in their colonies as a cheap source of food for enslaved plantation workers, ensuring that land used for cash crops was not diverted for growing food. It was planted at the boundaries of the field, and both the cash crops and the trees thrived together, making the breadfruit tree a potential solution to food insecurity through the process of crop diversity.
Breadfruit was also introduced to tropical countries like India by the colonisers during the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, it is cultivated in the coastal states like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
How can you use it?
Slice the breadfruit in half and remove the hard central core. Using a sharp knife, peel away the thick green skin. Rinse the peeled flesh thoroughly under running water to remove any sticky latex. Cut the breadfruit into wedges or cubes, depending on the recipe. It can then be boiled, steamed, fried, roasted, or added to curries, where it softens and absorbs flavours much like potato or raw banana.
What states can I find it in?
What parts of the plant are edible?
Fruit
Is it nutritious?
Breadfruit is a great source of carbohydrates and is low in fat. It is said to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties as well as antioxidants, according to this article.
How do you store it?
Breadfruit is best consumed fresh after peeling its green skin, cutting off the darker core, and then chopping the white flesh into smaller pieces for either roasting or cooking. It cannot be stored for a long time as it ripens quickly. One of the ways of storing it is to boil the cleaned and cut pieces, and then freezing them in airtight containers or ziplock bags.
Stories:
Breadfruit: A starchy, delicious climate and biodiversity solution by Claudia Geib, Mongabay
The article highlights the importance of breadfruit and how it has the potential to combat food insecurity induced by the adverse effects of climate change.
Recipes:
Breadfruit Kappas by Aarti, Goya
A recipe for spiced, rawa-fried sliced breadfruit called kappa.
Bread Fruit Curry Recipe- Cheema Chakka Masala by Aarti, Yummy Tummy
A recipe for a flavourful Kerala-style Breadfruit Curry, on the blog, Yummy Tummy.
‘Know Your Desi Ingredients’ is an ever-expanding repository of knowledge for ingredients that are native to the Indian subcontinent and adapted into the mainstream culinary narratives of people, places, and cultures across India. If you would like to share more information about the write-ups featured here, send us an email at connect@thelocavore.in with your inputs and any verified sources we should look into.
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