Jackfruit in Thai Cooking

Jackfruit is the largest fruit that grows on a tree, often 10 kg or more, with a knobbly green skin. Inside, between sticky white fibres, are dozens of golden, waxy pods with a sweet, fruity flavour and a chewy texture. In Thai, its name khanun sounds like the word for “support”, so jackfruit trees are planted for luck.

Pronunciation	ka-noon
Flavour	Ripe: sweet, like banana, pineapple and bubblegum. Young: neutral
Season	Year-round, peaking from January to June
Eaten	Ripe and fresh, in desserts; young in curries

Ripe and young jackfruit

Ripe jackfruit is eaten as a fruit and in desserts. Young, green jackfruit has a mild flavour and a meaty texture and is cooked as a vegetable, especially in the north, in gaeng khanun, a jackfruit curry with pork ribs and cha-om. Young jackfruit is also the jackfruit used in vegan “pulled pork”.

How it is eaten

Ripe pods are eaten fresh and chilled, sliced into desserts with coconut milk and shaved ice, and stuffed with sticky rice. The large seeds are boiled or roasted and eaten like chestnuts.

Buying it

Preparing a whole jackfruit is a sticky job, so in Thailand most people buy the pods ready-prepared in bags from market vendors. Outside Thailand, look for prepared pods in Asian grocers, or canned jackfruit: in syrup for ripe, in brine for young.

Cook’s tip
If you do cut a whole jackfruit, oil your knife and hands first. The sap is like glue and very hard to wash off.

Ripe and young jackfruit

How it is eaten

Buying it

More Fruits