A Vietnamese poetess in 18th century wrote an interesting and pictographic poem describing the finesse of Vietnamese people when they compare a Jackfruit like a girl.
“Thân em như quả mít trên cây,
Da nó sù sì, múi nó dày.
Quân tử có thương thì đóng cọc,
Xin đừng mân mó nhựa ra tay.”
Meanings:
“My body is like a jackfruit on a branch,
with a rugged skin and thick fleshy bulbs.
But if it pleases you, drive in a stake.
Don't just fondle it, because my sap will stain your fingers.”
(Ho Xuan Huong poetess, 18th century)
Jackfruit - a delicious fruit in Vietnam
In some documents people wrote Jackfruit’s origin is from India or Malaysia. However people see its presence everywhere in tropical regions, including Vietnam.
Looking outside, the jackfruit has many thorns. When it is young, its cover looks like green. Its thorny skin will change color from green to a yellow and dark brown then when it ripens. A ripe Jackfruit give out an aromatic smell that you can automatically know it in a distance of 10m.
Inside of the fruit, beneath the cover are the bright yellow fleshy bulbs which you can choose to eat the big fleshes with seed inside. There are also so many small edible fibres without seed inside. Normally Vietnamese people do not eat these small fibres. The seeds are brown and edible after being boiled.
The aromatic fleshy bulbs of Jackfruit- a "must taste" delicious fruit in Vietnam
To eat this delicious fruit, you must pay more efforts. This Jackfruit has a lot of latex, event it is ripe. Normally after cutting it from the tree, Vietnamese people use a stake to drive into its stem some days, so that its latex reduces. That's why there is the above "suggestive" poem.
A Jackfruit can measure from 20 to 80 centimeters long and from 15 to 50 centimeters wide, and can weigh from 2 to 30 kilo, depending on Jackfruit categories.
About nutrition facts, Jackfruit is an excellent source of potassium and vitamin C. Jackfruit contains 38% carbohydrates, 6.6% proteins and 0.4 g fat, vitamins A, C and B, and calcium, zinc, and phosphorous. The jackfruit helps to prevent the cancer, strengthen the immune systems, stimulates the digestion and many other uses.
If you travel to Vietnam in summer (from May to end of August) with Blue Sky Travel, you will have opportunities to taste this delicious fruit, and surely you will remember its aroma forever.