Jackfruit is a favourite fruit for many. Known as the national fruit, it is valued equally for its taste, aroma and nutrition. Many people like to eat ripe jackfruit as it is, but this delicious fruit can also be made into many tasty dishes, desserts and drinks. Its use is growing in everything from home cooking to modern fusion recipes.

Jackfruit pitha is well known among traditional Bengali foods. Ripe jackfruit pulp mixed with rice flour, flour, sugar and a little salt makes delicious bora pitha. Bhapa pitha and special pitha wrapped in jackfruit leaves are also popular in many areas, and the fruit's natural sweetness enhances the taste.

For lovers of payesh, jackfruit payesh can be something different. Milk, rice, sugar and jackfruit pulp or small pieces are cooked together to make it, an attractive dessert for festivals or family gatherings.

Ripe jackfruit flesh, ghee, milk and sugar make a delicious halwa that looks as good as it tastes. Jackfruit paste, grated coconut and molasses make laddu, a great item for festivals or special occasions.

On hot days a cold jackfruit smoothie or juice is refreshing. Blending the pods with milk, yoghurt or ice makes a nutritious drink, and honey, nuts or chia seeds can be added. A milkshake of milk, jackfruit, ice and a little honey is especially popular with children and provides both energy and nutrition.

Ripe jackfruit flesh cooked with sugar and lemon juice makes jam or jelly. It keeps for a long time and is tasty with bread, toast or biscuits.

Many people think chips are made only from green jackfruit, but ripe pods can be thinly sliced and sun-dried or lightly fried into crunchy chips, which can be a healthy snack for children too.

Jackfruit ice cream has become quite popular. Jackfruit purée, milk, cream and sugar mixed together make a fragrant ice cream whose natural flavour sets it apart from many artificially flavoured ones on the market. At home you can also make an unusual jackfruit kulfi, a lovely surprise for family and guests in the heat.

Jackfruit also makes a soft, tasty cake: jackfruit paste mixed into the batter adds a special aroma and sweetness, ideal with afternoon tea. Jackfruit cheesecake is a new addition to the world of desserts, with the purée giving it a fruity flavour. A pudding can be made with eggs, milk and jackfruit purée, and will delight guests or family.

Ripe jackfruit mixed with mango, pineapple, watermelon, dragon fruit or apple makes a colourful fruit salad that adds both nutrition and variety.

Jackfruit contains vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, fibre and antioxidants, so it is nutritious as well as tasty. Its natural sweetness and unique aroma add something special to many desserts and drinks. When jackfruit is in season, you can surprise the family with new recipes. The Bengali report cited Mint, Taste of Home, The Times of India and other sources.

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