Langka or Jack Fruit

Langka or Jack Fruit is a tropical fruit originating in India and the rain forests and mountains of Malaysia and the Philippines. Jack Fruit grows from the branches and trunks of trees. The largest jackfruits can weigh over 80 pounds (36kg). In my opinion, Jack Fruit smells like gasoline on the outside and tastes like bubble gum or Juicy Fruit gum on the inside. I think it’s delicious! The first time I saw it was in an open market in the Philippines. I couldn’t resist trying it! I heard that Juicy Fruit Gum was fashioned after the flavor of Jack Fruit. Below are photos of jackfruit as it is prepared.

The center of Jack fruit is very sticky inside. I guess the runny white stuff is something like liquid latex. So before you start cutting into the fruit, be sure to cover your knife and hands with olive oil. Or even better, cover your hands in the juice of the seeds and their sheaths as you remove them. This will keep the white sticky glue from sticking to your hands and your knife. Clean your hands and the knife later with olive oil.

For more information on JackFruit, please refer to this excellent book:
Fruits of Warm Climates, by Julia F. Morton.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html


It grows as big as a watermelon.

It has a very sticky inside stem area.

Exposed Jack Fruit and seeds.

Turn inside out

to

separate the fruits.

Remove the fruits

and remove

the seeds.

Boil, fry, or roast the seeds w/ salt.

Eat the yummy
fruits.

Jackfruit can be frozen or dried into chips. It can be put into salads or pureed.

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