With its neutral flavor and tender flesh, unripe jackfruit can replace pulled pork, ground meat, and poultry in most recipes. For savory dishes, look for one with firm, green skin.

Although it's lower in protein than meat, jackfruit is packed with vitamins and minerals, including fiber, copper, potassium, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins C, A, and E.

Depending on the recipe, jackfruit can be sautéed, roasted, fried, or steamed. It works great in dumplings, sandwiches, tacos, salads, "chicken" nuggets, on pizza, pasta, and more.

The unripe fruit is bland but absorbs the flavors of sauces, herbs, spices, and other foods. Season it before or during cooking, or marinate it for several hours before using.

Most recipes call for canned jackfruit, which is more widely available than fresh. If it is already seasoned, warm it in a pan and enjoy it as is, or mix it with other ingredients.

Pre-seasoned jackfruit is convenient and may taste better, but it can also contain added sugar and other fillers. If using canned jackfruit, rinse it to reduce the sodium content.

To prepare fresh jackfruit, cut it in half with an oiled knife, remove the core, seeds, and fruit pods, and cut the fruit into large pieces without taking the peel off.

Simmer them until tender, remove the peel, and pat dry with a paper towel. You can shred it and store in a refrigerated airtight container for one week or freeze it for two months.