Introducing a New Fruit

La rugamintea unui bun si vechi prieten, James, m-am apucat sa scriu despre un fruct exotic, originar din India. Pana sa imi mentioneze el, nici nu auzisem de acesta si probabil ca vor fi si alte lucruri de care nu voi auzi niciodata. But who cares, pentru ca oricum e imposibil si total nefolositor sa le stii chiar pe toate. Din acestea toate, azi vei invata despre fructul lui Jack sau mai bine spus despre jackfruit. Etimologia lui este explicata foarte frumos aici si mai afla si ca este fructul national al Bangladesului. Trebuie sa spun ca acest fruct s-ar gasi si la Londra dar eu pana acum nu l-am vazut sau poate nu l-am remarcat. I will keep my eyes open and tell you if I see it. Ce am retinut eu din ce am citit, este ca miroase frumos, a banane si ananas, seamana la gust cu bananele si mango-ul si ca este cel mai mare fructe existent. Din el se prepara mancare atunci cand este cules crud si se poate consuma proaspat numai cand este copt. Nu am gatit inca asa ceva, dar daca voi avea ocazia, macar nu ma voi uita la el si voi intreba ce e asta. Cu toate ca, imho, nu e grav sa intrebi daca nu stii.

Asa ca am intrat si eu pe google, am citit ce s-a scris despre el, am zis ca e interesant de stiut si de aflat ceva nou asa ca de ce sa nu invatam cu totii. Si am cautat si o reteta care cred ca se poate gati cu usurinta acasa, daca ai acest fruct. Este o salata placuta si racoroasa de vara. Cum orice e permis in bucatarie, iubire si razboi ;), am adaptat retea si pentru bucataria romaneasca, unde stiu ca fructul ‘interzis’ e mai rar pe piata.

Salata Jackfruit

4 portii

Ingrediente:

• 6 cani jackfruit proaspat (sau mango, banane, ananas)
• sucul de la o lamaie verde (sau o lamaie galbena, daca preferi galbenul 😉 )
• 1 cana fulgi nuca de cocos
• 3/4 cana stafide aurii (acum nu te stresez, daca nu ai aurii)
• 450 g smantana (de obicei aleg varianta grasa ca e mai sanatoasa)
• 3/4 – 1 cana nuci prajite (ador nucile asa ca eu aleg sa fie cat mai multe, deci o cana)

Preparare:

• (Imi place partea asta, e atat de simpla ca ma amuza) Intr-un bol mare, amesteca jackfruit cu sucul de lamaie, stafidele, smantana si nuca de cocos. Daca tu crezi ca vrei mai mult sau mai putin dintr-un ingredient, go for it. Inainte de a servi, adauga si amesteca nucile. Yummy!

NB: Poti cumpara nucile prajite gata (dar nu prea te sfatuiesc). Incearca in cuptorul incins la maxim, 300°C pentru cca 8-10 minute sau mai mult in fuctie de temperatura maxima a cuptorului, in tava. La jumatatea timpului, intoarce nucile sa se prajeasca uniform.

Pofta buna!

sursa: http://www.virtualherbarium.org/tropicalfruit/jackfruit-recipes.html

Jackfruit Salad

My dear friend, James, this is for you. Thanks to you I have learned about something new today, about chakka fruit or jackfruit, that it is your favourite fruit and that is so popular in India where you eat it 6 months a year. I have to say it is the first time I hear about this fruit and I googled for it to learn more. And even when I read that there are fresh jackfruit in London I still haven’t seen one or I haven’t noticed yet, but I will pay more attention now. ;). But it sounds like a very interesting fruit and as I searched for recipes I think I would like a jackfruit curry to eat once and a jackfruit salad. I must add that the recipes with jackfruit are suitable for vegetarians so I know I would like it as I am not into meat most of the times. I will put here a recipe taken from the internet, from this site: http://www.virtualherbarium.org that has more jackfruit recipes so feel free to check it out and cook. Providing you have the ingredients. There is jackfruit in Romania now so I can cook something. But because cooking requires imagination and creativity, I will slightly adapt the recipes so that I can cook it anywhere, even when I don’t have jackfruit. I would take advantage that this special fruit tastes like mango and banana and smells like banana and pineapple so I think one of these fruits can replace it successfully. If you don’t agree, let me know why. Enjoy now a light, fresh and cooling desert for what was left of the hot days of summer. 🙂

Jackfruit Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 6 cups fresh jackfruit (or mango, pineapples, bananas for when you can’t find this giant fruit)
• juice of one lime (or lemon for that matter)
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• ¾ cup golden raisins
• 450 g (16 ounces) sour cream (go for full cream or full fat yoghurt)
• ¾ to 1 cup toasted walnuts (optional; I love walnuts so these are a must for me ;))

Method:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine jackfruit, lime juice, coconut, raisins and sour cream. If, after combining all ingredients, you feel mixture needs more of one above item, slowly add according to your taste. Add and mix in toasted walnuts just before serving.

NOTE:   Place walnuts on a cookie sheet, single layer, and toast 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 300-degree oven. Turn walnuts over after 4 or 5 minutes.

Bon appetite!

source: http://www.virtualherbarium.org/tropicalfruit/jackfruit-recipes.html