Far removed from its asymmetric and unattractive form, the jackfruit has multi-nutritional benefits and has emerged as an integral element in many culinary delights. Hiraman writes an interesting essay on this fruit which because of high fibre content leads to low absorption of sugar, making it an ideal food for diabetics.
It’s big, heavy with spiky skin, fleshy but not juicy, with a dense, sweet taste and an almost sickly, sweet smell. That’s jackfruit—growing in the Western Ghats, in the south, and at scattered locations in the north and east. In recent years it has witnessed interest among growers with jackfruit festivals held across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa and in the North East. Food start-ups that have fuelled has reignited interest in the much-ignored fruit.
Jackfruit gets its name from the Portuguese jaca, in turn derived from the Malayali chakka. Jackfruit has traditionally been viewed as a source of affordable sustenance, as it is easy to grow, is resistant to pests and drought, and has a large yield. The average jackfruit tree yields over a hundred fruits a year. Combined with its versatility as a fruit that lends itself to a variety of dishes — sweet and savoury, simple and special occasion — the jackfruit has long been an intrinsic part of Kerala and Bengali cuisine.
With food processing technologies becoming more accessible, and a growing demand for processed jackfruit snacks beyond India, jackfruit is now becoming an economically significant part of Kerala’s food industry. In recognition of its special status, in 2018, the Kerala government designated jackfruit the official state fruit. The major jackfruit-growing states are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Orissa, West Bengal and Bihar. But it is only Kerala which has given jackfruit its due with growers making handsome dividends.
Incidentally, the annual production of jackfruit in Kerala is 190.14 thousand tonnes. At the same time, the annual wastage of the state amounts to 35 crore jackfruits approximately.
While nations, namely Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the Philippines, gave pride of place to jackfruit, it continued to live in ignominy in the land of its birth. Though packed with nutrition and grown with the least human intervention, it was awaiting a change in perception.
Rich in carbohydrates, proteins, potassium, calcium, iron, and vitamins A, B, and C, jackfruit supplements other staple foods in times of scarcity in some regions. Jackfruit holds appeal both in its ripe and raw forms. It retains texture when cooked, but also lends itself to being mashed, pureed, fried, and preserved.
A handful of ingredients – jackfruit, rice, coconut, jaggery, and cardamom – are used to create a variety of sweets and snacks. Paired with coconut, and a few aromatics and spices, jackfruit is transformed into a range of everyday and special-occasion savoury dishes, each distinct in taste and texture.
Jack tree produces abundant fruit every year and is usually grown organically in homesteads and secondary forest regions without the application of additional care and farming practices.
As it has a delicious taste, flavour, colour, and excellent nutritional quality, it makes it more appropriate for processing and value addition. Jackfruit value-added products include chips, papads, pickles, ice cream, jelly, sweets, beverages like squash, nectar, wine, preserved flakes, etc. Additionally, jackfruit leaves, bark, inflorescence, seeds, and latex are used in traditional medicines.
Suitable value addition will make jackfruit available in the off-season and also provide additional income to farmers and processors.
The world’s largest fruit is called by a variety of names – kathal, panasa, phanas, jaca, nangka, kanoon, gach patha, and met among others. Largely due to the odour of the ripe fruit and the traditional preference for tapioca, jackfruit never gained popularity in the country unlike in the Far Eastern nations.
It’s only recently that agro-scientists have woken up to the potential of jackfruit. In 2012, the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, initiated a five-year-long study with the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, which has led to the identification of 105 genotypes of jackfruit nationwide. It has identified 25 varieties from which it nurtures saplings and sells them through Krishi Vigyan Kendras and agriculture colleges.
The People’s Service Society Palakkad, an NGO working among farmers has been involved in the processing, packaging and branding of jackfruit value-added products since 2013. Its 20-plus ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat products sold under the brand name Jaxo 100 include Jack Wonder Nut Cake, Jack Seed Flour, Dehydrated Ripe Jackfruit and others.
In Kerala, earlier a fruit would fetch around Rs 30 but now a grower can easily demand between Rs 100 to Rs 150 per fruit.
Among the several jackfruit entrepreneurs is Subhash Koroth of Kannur-based Artocarpus Foods who following his visits to jackfruit-processing units in Vietnam started his Rs 13-million plant in Taliparamba in 2015. He has so far developed various forms of processed jackfruit such as jackfruit pulp, jackfruit pieces, processed tender jackfruit, processed raw jackfruit, and jackfruit seed flour. His clients include Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, Joy Ice Creams, Olio Bakers, Lazza Ice Creams, and Jumbo Foods. The company promotes the planting of jackfruit trees in households with an offer of a buy-back guarantee.
Now, imagine biryani, masala dosa, galouti kabab, kathi roll, panna cotta, and payasam from dehydrated jackfruit! That was the image change ushered in by James Jacob, formerly director (executive engagement) of Microsoft in India, and chief executive officer of Jackfruit 365.
Mathew freeze-dried the fruit, thus prolonging its availability, and went on to convince leading chefs of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai to make lip-smacking delicacies – enough for the national press, including the Discovery Channel, to sing praises about the fruit’s culinary avatars.
While researching the fruit and its consumers, Jacob found that in many instances, jackfruit, when used instead of rice or wheat, reversed diabetes. A recent study by Sydney University’s Glycaemic Index Research Service mentions that the glycemic load and carbohydrate content are the lowest in unripe jackfruit compared to rice and wheat. Its high fibre content leads to low absorption of sugar, making it an ideal food for diabetics.
Mathew’s freeze-dried unripe jackfruit powder which is added to wheat flour to make chapattis has found a dedicated following among diabetics all over India.
Aman Chhabra of ‘Kathalfy’ is among the handful who have brought Jackfruit back to Indian kitchens in new avatars creating a range of ready-to-eat products. His startup currently offers 13 varieties of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook jackfruit items — from jackfruit makhani, jackfruit tikka masala, jackfruit Malabar curry, jackfruit Lucknowi kheema to products like seed flour, pickles, pancake mix, vacuum fried chips and even chocolates!