Breadfruit, raw

Breadfruit is treated like a starchy vegetable rather than a sweet fruit, most often peeled, cut into wedges and roasted, boiled, or fried into chips similar to plantain. Across the Caribbean and Pacific Islands it gets mashed like potato, added to curries and stews, or cooked down into a thick paste such as poi. When left to ripen further it turns soft and can be baked with a touch of sugar or coconut milk for a dessert-like dish. Cooked breadfruit has a dense, slightly chewy texture often compared to a cross between potato and fresh bread, which is how it earned its name.

Choose breadfruit that has started to turn from bright green toward a duller yellow-green, with skin that gives slightly under gentle pressure; rock-hard green fruit needs a few days on the counter to ripen. Once cut, refrigerate and use within a couple of days, or peel, cube and freeze for later. Raw breadfruit is naturally low in fat (0.23 g per 100 g) and sodium (2 mg per 100 g), and a cup provides 4.9 g of fiber and 32% of the daily value for vitamin C, so it works well roasted alongside other vegetables in a mixed side dish.