ONE of the big delicacies on the Mangalorean gourmet's table is the jackfruit. This, however, is the jackfruit vegetable, not the fruit. Yes, there are two basic varieties of jackfruit. Mangaloreans say that the one that is not so good, is used as a vegetable. The other is the fruit. You struggle and cut through it, and after hours of oily effort, the spiky outer skin yields several yellow, fleshy and starchy edible seeds. In Mangalore it is common to see large trees bearing jackfruit. The fruit grows directly from the trunk of the tree on a stem.

The jackfruit that is used as a vegetable is called �koozha chakka� or �koozha pazham�. Mangaloreans have many recipes for the jackfruit and the most irresistible among them is the Upkari, a creamy and spicy curry. There is also the sumptuous sukkhe. Some families use pure ghee, coconut, green chilli and mustard to season the jackfruit because by itself, it has nothing to it. However, when other ingredients are added to the jackfruit, it makes a dish fit for kings. Too much of spice can overpower the taste of the jackfruit, however. Jackfruit chips are also a Mangalorean speciality. They are made spicy and non-spicy and are very popular in other parts of India. The unripe jackfruit, which is used for this purpose, is expensive.

And there is the jackfruit�s poor cousin, the breadfruit, known in Mangalore as Jeegujee. It is a fruit of the jackfruit family and in appearance, is much like a small jackfruit. Only the breadfruit is seedless. It is bland in taste and when cut open, looks like a loaf of bread. The taste of the breadfruit is that of a root vegetable. Like potato. And it is a seasonal fruit, available in Mangalore only from January to June. Breadfruit costs Rs. 25 a kilo and you will get a maximum of two fruit per kilo.