Thrissur (India) (AFP)

With its fibrous texture and firm flesh with a sweet taste, the jackfruit has gone from the status of "poor man's fruit" in southern India to that of a trendy food around the world, prized in particular as a meat substitute by vegetarians and vegans.

Integrated into the diet of southern Indian regions for centuries, the jackfruit fruit was so abundant and banal that it was long consumed especially by the most modest. Every year, tons of jackfruits were destroyed.

But India, the world's leading producer of this spiky skin fruit weighing on average five kilograms, is now surfing on the growing popularity of this highly nutritious polydrupe, now promoted by chefs from London to San Francisco.

"I have a lot of requests from abroad," said AFP Varghese Tharakkan in his jackfruit orchard in the state of Kerala (southwest of India). "Internationally, interest in the jackfruit has increased."

Ripe, jackfruit can be eaten fresh or used to make cakes, juices, ice cream or crisps. Still green, you can use it in curries, fry it, mince it and fry it. In the West, minced jackfruit has become a popular alternative to pulled pork and is even used as a pizza topping.

"People love it," says Anu Bhambri, the owner of a restaurant chain in India and the United States. "Jackfruit tacos are a hit everywhere. The jackfruit steak, every table orders it, it's one of my favorite dishes!"

In the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu (south-east) alone, demand for jackfruit fruit is now 100 tonnes per day during the high season and generates turnover of around 20 million dollars a year, according to S. Rajendran, professor of economics at the Gandhigram Rural Institute.

- "Jaquepot" -

Around the world, vegetarianism is the subject of growing public interest and, with it, voices calling for giving up or cutting back on meat consumption are becoming more vocal.

Concerned about their health and the environment, more and more consumers are turning to brands of "vegetable meat" or replacing animal flesh with foods originating in Asia such as tofu and tempeh, soy-based, and seitan, a derivative of wheat.

Worn by this new craze, jackfruit orchards have grown in recent years in Kerala. Former manager at Microsoft, James Joseph left his post to follow the trend when he noticed that jackfruit was becoming fashionable.

"You have a firm texture like meat, that's why it's becoming more and more popular. And like meat, it absorbs spices," he explains.

His company sells jackfruit flour, which can be mixed with that of wheat or rice or used as a substitute for a variety of dishes, from vegetarian steak to idlis, savory cakes from southern India.

The entrepreneur worked with Australian academics to determine the nutritional benefits of the fruit: "We found that on a plate the jackfruit is better than rice or roasts (Indian bread, note) for the person who wants to control his blood sugar ", he assures.

In these times of global warming, researchers believe that jackfruit may prove to be a promising subsistence crop. The tree, which produces 150 to 200 fruits each season, is resistant to drought and requires little maintenance.

Since he started this culture, Varghese Tharakkan has never regretted his choice. Before the coronavirus pandemic and containment, visitors crowded into his orchard where he made them taste its different species.

It now has enough varieties to produce throughout the year and has a large international clientele. But with the new world celebrity of jackfruit, countries like Thailand and Bangladesh are also embarking on its export and compete more and more India.

"When I felled my rubber trees, everyone thought I had gone mad. But these same people come to see me today and ask me the secret of my success," he said with a smile.

© 2020 AFP