Jackfruit
Often bigger than watermelons, this colossal fruit belongs to the mulberry family – and can grow to more than 100 pounds!
Popular in Asia, the bright green jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) can be eaten ripe, when it tastes like sweet pineapple and bananas, or immature, when it is boiled and served as a vegetable. Its texture resembles pulled pork, making it a convincing meat substitute in vegan dishes. The starchy seeds can be boiled and peeled and added to stews or curries.
Preparing jackfruit can be a challenge because of the gummy latex on unripe fruits – rubbing oil on your hands, knife and cutting surface helps. For mature jackfruit, the edible bulbs are pulled out. They’re delicious to eat out of hand, added to fruit salad, made into a smoothie, cooked into preserves or candies, and dehydrated for a tasty snack.
