[vram22]

>Covered in spikes and emitting a stench of rotting onions,

Wondering if that bit about "rotting onions" is wrong. I'm Indian and live in India, and while I haven't eaten jackfruit often, I have eaten it sometimes (the ripe sweet version), and never got a smell like that from it. I've even travelled for non-trivial periods through Tamil Nadu and Kerala states, where jackfruit is grown a lot, seen it growing on roadside trees, etc. It definitely has a strong smell, but it's just a strong sweet fruity smell, IIRC. Definitely can be an acquired taste, maybe more so for people from the West. But not bad, IMO.

Anyone else know better? or is the rotting onion smell they mention, from when it is not ripe yet, maybe? Because I've not seen/tasted it in that stage.

BTW, I've read elsewhere that it is supposed to be one of those wonder plants, which can help combat malnutrition, hunger, etc., if grown on a larger scale in the tropical (and subtropical?) countries where it can grow, and where there are sometimes food shortages, such as some parts of Asia and Africa.

Same goes for a few other plants/trees (in the sense of wonder plants, though not necessarily all for nutrition - some are for medical, construction or other uses, often multiple uses), like coconut, neem, bamboo, Moringa (drumstick tree), etc.

Edited for grammar.

[hombre_fatal]

They grew all over the place where I lived in Nayarit, Mexico. They just had the boring smell of an unripe banana. Kinda tasted like one, too.

Maybe they're confusing yaka with durian fruit?

[vram22]

That gummy substance the article mentions is definitely a bit of a problem, though, even when eating the ripe jackfruit. It gets onto your hands and takes some time and work to wash off.

BTW, the seeds of the jackfruit are also eaten, and are supposed to be nutritious, IIRC (part of that wonder plant stuff). Got a nutty taste. It's added to some curries in Indian cuisine, both North and South, I think. Had it a few times.

[praneshp]

Yes, one of my favorite dishes is an item called kootu ([0] but it's just a recipe I picked off Google).

My mom and other elders warn me to eat small helpings because it can screw with digestion, but I'm not sure if that's true.

Jackfruit is a brilliant creation of nature

[Legogris]

Yeah, it really sounds like they're talking about Durian. You can barely say Jackfruit is covered in spikes.

[vram22]

Right, good point, I missed that earlier. Not really spikes. Even the photo at the top of the article sort of shows that. They are sharp protrusions on the surface of the skin of the fruit, but since they are not really hard, you can handle the fruit even with them being there. I've picked up heavy jackfruit a few times and not had any problem of being poked by the "spikes". And they get pretty heavy - I think 45 kg is not uncommon for a single fruit.

[hombre_fatal]

I'd definitely consider them spike-covered, though so densely packed it's perhaps not so defining.

But their mass and weight sure set them apart! They grow so god damn big it's awe-inspiring to see them on trees along side of the road or beach. As if they are the cocoons of a giant jurassic-era butterfly.

Hard not to wonder how many small animals must have been obliterated by one falling from the tree.

But also how amazing it must have been for an early human or settler to find one in the wild. The amount of fruit you can harvest from one is incredible. Thankfully people would collect them, pluck out all the meat "nodes", and sell them in little bags of 4-6 nodules. I could never eat more than 4 nodules without rummaging for something else in the pantry, they're quite boring.

[vram22]

Good points and analogy :)

The last paragraph reminds me of novels like The Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe, which were fun reading while growing up.

[Legogris]

Durian is very spiky on the other hand. I've had and seen them both and the rest of the article seems spot-on from what I can tell. It's a weird slip in something that reads so well-informed otherwise.

Jackfruit has a mild, taste with a hint of banana and is odorless. Durian reeks like a trash heap but has a sweet and a little bit sour flavour with a hint of canned pears.

[vram22]

So is yaka the Mexican name for jackfruit? (Just started reading the article, in case it mentions that).

Yes, I had the same thought about whether they confused jackfruit with durian (which AFAIK grows mainly in SE Asia). Never had it myself.

[hombre_fatal]

Yeah, force of habit. Never heard of jackfruit until HN where we get an article about them every few months as people discover them.

Two other fruits I think more Americans should try are guyaba/guava and guanabana. Both are somewhat annoying to eat due to the seeds, but they have some unique flavors. Those are my two go-to icecream flavors.

Unfortunately the lack of demand makes them expensive in the US where I was astounded. They almost give them away where I live in Mexico.

Same with dragon fruit. A single fruit was $8 in Texas. Meanwhile I get them from the pitaya guy who rolls down my street 4x for <$1.

[vram22]

Guavas are great. We have them a lot in India. Yes, the seeds are a bit of a problem, though not big, I guess. Used to eat them a lot as a kid with salt. Also, the ones with pink flesh are extra good, though white is more common. Litchis are another great fruit. Don't get them much in many parts of India, though. Not sure why. Maybe not popular, or maybe only grows in some parts. IIRC, had them in Bengal when visiting relatives there.

[andremendes]

All those fruits you mentioned are sorta common here in Brazil under the names jaca, goiaba and graviola. You can find them int he supermarket but they're present in many backyards too. They're even used to make flavored beverages like licors and beers and that's before any vegan food trend I can think of.

[forinti]

Those are what we call Jaca in Brazil. You're right: they don't have a bad smell.

[beatgammit]

Can confirm, I'm American and went to the Philippines for a while, and jackfruit tasted and smelled fine to me. My best description is that it's like the texture and taste profile of a banana (not banana flavor though, just kind of fruity), mixed with tofu or mild cheese.

Durian, on the other hand, looks similar to someone who isn't familiar with both, and has more of that unappealing smell.

I'm honestly surprised that jackfruit isn't more popular. They grow fairly densely (several huge fruits on a single modest tree), are easy to cultivate, and are fairly tasty (though kind of sticky IIRC). If bananas go away (mass death among Cavendish bananas), I wouldn't be surprised to see canned jackfruit take over.

[vram22]

Here's the Wikipedia page for Moringa:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera

The pods are used in sambar in South Indian cuisine, and are pretty tasty. You have to eat only the inner pulp and seeds, not fibrous outer cover.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambar_(dish)

I've read the green leaves of Moringa are very nutritious too, though never had a chance to try them.

[sametmax]

I think the best description have been given of the smell and taste is "it is a mix between a banana and a camembert" (a french cheese).

Like Joe's use to say: "Custard, good ... jam, good ... meat, GOOD!"