Breadfruit Is The Versatile Ingredient With Similar Uses As Potatoes

If you've never heard of breadfruit, you're not alone. Although breadfruit has been a staple crop in the South Pacific for thousands of years, it's relatively unknown in the United States outside Hawai'i, where it's called 'ulu and forms part of the islands' rich cultural history.

Because of the high starch content in breadfruit, the flavor isn't that unlike a potato before it's fully ripened. Its starchy disposition also means that potatoes and breadfruit can be used for many of the same delicious preparations. Breadfruit fries, anyone? You may be surprised to find that a potato and a fruit can have so much in common, but breadfruit isn't just any fruit. Its versatility, ease of cultivation, and cultural significance in various regions make breadfruit worth learning much more about. And although breadfruit has been flying under the radar in the mainstream culinary scene in the United States, due to climate change, you could see it growing in certain parts of the country soon.

Although breadfruit is believed to be native to the Malay archipelago and New Guinea off the coast of Southeast Asia, it now grows in tropical climes all over the world. The breadfruit was brought to the Caribbean in the 18th century by William Bligh after he was famously the victim of a mutiny on the HMS Bounty. Breadfruit's history in the Caribbean is tied to the history of slavery, as it was brought initially to provide food for enslaved Africans working on British plantations in the Caribbean.

These days, breadfruit grows abundantly on the Caribbean islands, and because it is such a low-maintenance crop, it saves a whole lot of labor while providing people with an excellent source of nutrients and calories. In parts of the Caribbean, it's become so entwined with the culture that jackfish and breadfruit is known as the national dish of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In its native South Pacific, it's often grown in home gardens, where locals pick these abundant fruits to make a whole range of delicacies.

If you've got a creative culinary imagination, then breadfruit is the ingredient you've been waiting for. But before you start cooking, there are some basics about breadfruit preparation that you should know. Breadfruit contains a sticky resin — especially the underripe fruits — and things can get pretty messy if you're not prepared. It's best to cut off the stem of sappy breadfruit and drain the resin. Once you cut it up, let the slices sit in water for a few minutes, then wash them.

Since these plump, green fruits grow in tropical climates all over the world, different cultures have adopted different ways of preparing breadfruit. In Indonesia, breadfruit is often sliced up and deep-fried or made into chips. In the South Pacific, one traditional preparation involves digging a pit, lining it with banana leaves, filling it with ripe, peeled, pitted breadfruit, and letting it ferment. 

Breadfruit is giving potatoes a run for their money, too. In an episode of "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted," the celebrity chef even uses breadfruit as a replacement for potatoes to make a shepherd's pie. Breadfruit is also a unique way to bulk up one-pot stews the same way you would with potatoes.

There's talk about breadfruit becoming one of the next hot superfoods to consider adding to your diet. Breadfruit is a great source of complex carbohydrates, which make you feel fuller, can help regulate blood sugar, and give you energy over a longer period of time. It's also full of antioxidants – compounds that deactivate cell-damaging free radicals – and may help lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other harmful conditions.

When you compare it to other staple crops like corn, soybeans, and potatoes, breadfruit has a much higher amino acid content and is also a great source of minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and zinc. Breadfruit also has a high fiber content, which promotes healthy digestion and can lower your cholesterol levels, and it's packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which contribute to good cognitive function and can help your skin appear healthy and soft. That's a lot of reasons to consider adding breadfruit to your diet.

If you're lucky enough to get your hands on a breadfruit, you'll want to eat it fresh. Breadfruit spoils quickly and does not travel well. If you're not feeling a hankering for it when you've got it on hand, it'll last for a few days in the refrigerator, but not much more. You should cook breadfruit as soon as you can and then store it because freezing raw breadfruit can result in an undesirable flavor once it's thawed. Once it's baked or steamed, cool it to room temperature before placing it in a freezer-safe bag, where it can last for months.

Another way to make your breadfruit last longer is to dry it, which you can do slowly in the oven or out in the sun. Once the breadfruit is properly dehydrated, store it in airtight plastic bags to lengthen the shelf life. Then enjoy it as a snack on its own, or throw it into a soup or stew. Traditionally, in the South Pacific, breadfruit has been preserved for long periods (years, even) by fermenting its pulp in a pit lined with banana leaves. And if you don't have a banana leaf-lined pit available, you can use any airtight container.

It might seem strange to compare breadfruit to plantains, but on many Caribbean islands, these are both hearty staple crops and are often prepared in similar ways. You can make tostones with breadfruit in much the same way that you would with plantains, and this is a common way to enjoy both fruits in many places. (If you've never had tostones, you need to try this easy tostones and garlic sauce recipe.)

Although the appearance, taste, and texture of plantains are quite different than those of breadfruit, they are both excellent sources of complex carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals. When used unripened, you can treat both similarly to how you would treat a potato. Although plantains look like bananas, they are sturdy enough to bake, fry, mash, or grill. They make a great neutral side dish for flavor-packed jerk chicken.

Potatoes are a staple of the American diet. Native to South America, potatoes were introduced to Europe in the 16th century, and from there they made their way to North America. Throughout your lifetime, you've probably eaten countless versions of potatoes, from boiled and baked to fried. Maybe you even eat potatoes in some form daily. Breadfruit doesn't have nearly the same popular reach in the United States, but it can be prepared in much the same way as potatoes.

The high starch content in breadfruit makes it behave very similar to a potato when it's cooked, which is why it lends itself to many of the same preparations. While potatoes stay starchy, however, breadfruit changes flavor and becomes sweet as it ripens, meaning it has a much wider range of possibilities, including desserts. Potatoes, as a vegetable, don't have this kind of versatility when it comes to cooking. This makes breadfruit a truly unique ingredient.