Martin Yan - Jackfruit

"The more you understand the ingredients, the better cook you will become."
-Martin Yan

These are common ingredients found in local cuisine. You can find these ingredients readily available in your local supermarket.

Jackfruit

If you’ve never tried jackfruit, do! Its yellow-orange flesh reminds me of a cross between a banana, a pineapple, and a mango. Jackfruit trees are native to the rain forests of Malaysia and India. In a single year, one tree can bear hundreds of gigantic fruits, each weighing in at up to 100 pounds! The oddly fermented smell of the fresh, ripe jackfruit can be off-putting, to put it mildly, but don’t worry, you’re not likely to find it fresh. Canned jackfruit, sold in many Asian markets, has a sweet, mild aroma and flavor.
Trim the stem ends of the beans before cooking – notice there are no fibrous strings to remove. Cut long beans into 1/2 inch, 1 inch, or 2 inch pieces and stir-fry. For a fancier presentation, cut long beans into 6 to 8 inch lengths, blanch until softened, and tie each into a knot. Serve the long bean knots as a side dish with roasted meats and poultry.

Adapted from Martin Yan’s Asia (KQED Books & Tapes)