Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is the fruit of the breadfruit tree, though it is often referred to as a vegetable when consumed before it is fully ripe. It comes from the same family as jackfruit and mulberry. Breadfruit is a major staple crop in the islands of Oceania and has been for millennia.
Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology. Breadfruit: origins and development. In: Smith C, ed. Springer International Publishing; 2020:1609-1613.
Similar to bananas and plantains, the breadfruit can be enjoyed ripe as a sweet fruit or underripe as a less-sweet vegetable. When consumed as a vegetable, breadfruit is picked while it’s starchy and then boiled or roasted in an underground oven with hot rocks. Some people enjoy it stuffed with coconut and roasted, sliced and fried in palm sugar or syrup until crisp and brown, or cooked with coconut and sugar.
