Ingredients
Breadfruit
- 1mature breadfruit, about 2 kg
- salt for the water
To dress
- 3 tbspred palm oil or olive oil
- 1onion, sliced
- 2 clovesgarlic
- salt and pepper
To fry, if frying
- oil for shallow frying
To serve
- with fish, with a stew, or with molho de peixe
Directions
- Cut breadfruit exudes a sticky white latex that adheres to hands, knives and work surfaces. Rub your hands and the knife blade with oil before you start, which is what people who prepare it regularly do. Some cooks cut out the stem and stand the fruit upright for a few minutes to let the sap drain first.
- Cut the fruit into quarters through the core. Cut out the central core, which is fibrous and is discarded. Peel the thick green skin away with a knife rather than a peeler, since it is tough. Cut the flesh into large chunks.
- Drop the peeled pieces into cold water as you go, since the flesh browns quickly on contact with air. A little salt or lime in the water helps. Boil the chunks in well salted water for twenty to thirty minutes.
- Salt the water generously, since breadfruit is bland and absorbs seasoning poorly after cooking. It is done when a knife goes in with no resistance, like a cooked potato. Drain it thoroughly and let it steam dry for a minute. Whole breadfruit is also roasted directly in embers until the skin is black and the inside is soft, which is traditional across the tropics.
- Cut the boiled chunks into thick slices and shallow fry them until golden on both sides. Frying gives a crisp exterior against the soft floury inside, which is a considerable improvement over boiling alone.
- Fry them in red palm oil for the local flavour, or in any oil. Fry the onion and garlic in palm oil and pour it over the drained breadfruit. Season it well with salt and pepper. Breadfruit is genuinely bland on its own, so it needs seasoning or a strongly flavoured sauce with it.
- Serve it alongside grilled or fried fish, which is the usual pairing in São Tomé. It does not keep well once cooked and it goes hard and dry, so cook only what will be eaten.
Technique
- It was moved to the Atlantic deliberately as cheap food for plantation labour.
- The sticky white sap is hard to remove, so oil your hands and knife.
- It must always be cooked and is never eaten raw.
Substitutions
- Green plantain or yam, which fill the same role.
- Frozen breadfruit, which is sold ready-cut.
Variations
- Roasted whole in embers, which gives a smoky flavour.
- Boiled then fried in slices.
- Mashed with palm oil, as a purée.
History
Breadfruit, native to the Pacific, was spread through the Atlantic tropics from the late eighteenth century as cheap food for plantation labour.
Frequently asked questions
What is Boiled breadfruit?
Boiled breadfruit is a salad & side from São Tomé and Príncipe: starchy breadfruit boiled or fried as staple side. Breadfruit, native to the Pacific, was spread through the Atlantic tropics from the late eighteenth century as cheap food for plantation labour.
How long does Boiled breadfruit take to make?
Boiled breadfruit takes 20 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Boiled breadfruit?
Yes, within limits. Green plantain or yam, which fill the same role. Frozen breadfruit, which is sold ready-cut.
What is the most important thing to get right in Boiled breadfruit?
Cut the fruit into quarters through the core. Cut out the central core, which is fibrous and is discarded. Peel the thick green skin away with a knife rather than a peeler, since it is tough. Cut the flesh into large chunks.
