Huge, tropical jackfruit catches on as a meat substitute

If you’ve never heard of jackfruit, keep your eyes open: You’ll start noticing it everywhere.
Jackfruit is a very large tropical fruit often used as a meat substitute. It packs some nutritional wallop, and the fact that you can cook, chunk or shred it like chicken or pork makes it a go-to main ingredient in many vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Its flavor is neutral, and it takes to all kinds of seasonings.
Jackfruit is native to India, and also grows in Southeast Asia, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. It ranges from 15 pounds to a whopping 70.
For cooking, freshly picked, non-ripe jackfruit generally is used. Once ripe, jackfruit can be used in sweeter dessert preparations.
It’s available whole or sliced into more manageable pieces. Unripe, it’s green and unyielding; as it ripens, it softens, turns yellow, gets some brown spots and starts to smell fruity.
It’s also sold canned, sometimes in brine or syrup, and you can find various types in specialty and Asian food stores and, increasingly, traditional supermarkets. Jackfruit is also popping up on menus at vegan and vegetarian restaurants across North America.