Roast breadfruit - Learn how to prepare this healthy savoury starch enriched crop in the oven using the double roasted cooking method.

I'm so excited because this is my first time showcasing a breadfruit recipe on my website. If you're from the islands, polynesia or certain parts of Asia then breadfruit isn't an exclusive commodity for you.

With that said, with so many contemporary diets i.e paleo which consume a lot of Carbohydrate enriched foods that originate from the tropics I wouldn't be surprised if many people had already heard of this wonderful fruit.

What is breadfruit?

Firstly, if you've never heard of breadfruit you're probably wondering, what on earth is it? The name alone sounds insane I mean Bread and fruit, is it a sweet fruit or some type of exotic bread?

I'm looking at things from the outsiders perception right now and I know if I were clueless I'd be thinking along those lines.

Well Breadfruit grows on trees, it's starched enriched (clean starch) and an emerald green colour in its infancy stage with the tendency to take on a darkened hue as it ripens.

Although breadfruit can be eaten at all stages of development in the Caribbean we tend to eat it matured - when it's soft to the touch with a subtle hint of sweetness.

What does breadfruit taste like?

Breadfruit has its own unique taste which is difficult to describe. I would say it's like a soft potato with a crispy exterior depending on if it's boiled, roasted/fried.

How do you cook breadfruit?

It's a very versatile crop - boil, fry, roast, mash, pickle, you name it and someone has tried it. In my household we would usually roast and then fry it, sometimes MY grandmother would boil it along with ground provisions (dasheen, yam, potatoes, dumplings - Cassava, Cornmeal etc..).

If you haven't had a chance to try this amazing Breadfruit Pie. It's a favourite of mine along with some Oven Baked Plantain

To this day I enjoy eating breadfruit (roast breadfruit) along with Breadfruit Fries, though it's not always easy to obtain where I live, thankfully I managed to purchase half a breadfruit to roast at home recently.

In the Caribbean, you'll find the entire breadfruit being roasted on a open fire, that's just how it's done on the islands.

However, living in the diaspora, things are a little different, for instance on this occasion I foil wrapped the breadfruit (wrapping is only required when roasting half) with a little coconut oil and placed the whole thing directly in the centre of the oven.

When roasting a whole breadfruit I would follow the traditions of removing the stalk then mark an X at the bottom.

Some people living abroad try to replicate what they did back home by roasting the breadfruit openly on the stove but for safety reasons I will not be endorsing that method.

Roasting breadfruit instead of frying it - the healthier way!

As previously mentioned I achieved the pictured results by doing the double roasting technique which tasted divine, it yielded a soft yet crunchy taste - great for a side dish or to form part of a meal.

Being health conscious I knew frying breadfruit in a large amount of oil wasn't right nor good for one's health.

Today I do things a little differently I roast the breadfruit (wrap only if roasting half), let it cool, slice the entire thing then coat in oil and roast again in the oven.

This may seem bizarre to some but the results are essentially the same as the roast and fry method, only cutting out ⅔ of the oil that's used - kiss goodbye to deep fat frying.

Don't compromise your heart any longer, get the same results using a very small amount of oil - your cholesterol and blood sugar levels will be thanking you for choosing to cook this way.

Where can I purchase breadfruit if I don't live in the Caribbean?

Breadfruit can be purchased from most market or supermarkets in an area where there is a lot of Caribbean people. Also, Asian groceries tend to sell breadfruit.

Breadfruit is very expensive so if it's your first time buying it, then ask the vendor to slice ⅓ quarter or ½ a breadfruit until you work your way up to a whole one.

Notes and tips

Roast breadfruit is a slow releasing complex carbohydrate
Serve as an appetiser or side dish
Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers
Paleo, vegan and gluten free recipe

Serving suggestions

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