Markets are full of jackfruit and homes are filled with the sweet smell of this delicious fruit. But however tasty it is, finding a ripe, sweet jackfruit in a shop is quite hard, and many people are cheated after buying on the seller's word. Here are some ways to tell a ripe, juicy jackfruit.

• Cut it open: It is best if you can see inside before you buy. Street fruit sellers do not usually sell jackfruit this way, but many supermarkets sell it cut, so buyers can see the inside. If you buy this way, check that the pods inside are soft and fresh.
• Sweet smell: Another way to tell a ripe jackfruit is by its smell. Jackfruit has a strong aroma, and you can tell from the smell whether it is ripe. If no fragrance comes from the skin, it is not yet ripe.
• Colour: When a jackfruit ripens, its skin turns bright yellow, not blackish or brown. If the skin looks a deep colour, it may have been coated with added colour.
• Undamaged fruit: Make sure the jackfruit is intact. Do not buy it if any part has gone soft from extra pressure.
• Firm skin: Avoid jackfruit that is too soft or squashy. The pods inside such fruit are also too soft.
• Tree-ripened: Jackfruit ripened on the tree tastes best. If it is picked unripe and ripened in storage, much of the flavour is lost. If you can buy a tree-ripened jackfruit, it is sure to be sweet.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.