Plant atlas Short
Cempedak: The Jackfruit Cousin Thai Cooks Deep-Fry
Cempedak · จำปาดะ · Artocarpus integer
Cempedak — จำปาดะ (jam-pa-da) — Artocarpus integer.
Tear one open and the smell hits first, a heavy floral musk; inside, soft golden pulp clings to each seed, sweeter and more custardy than its cousin the jackfruit. In southern Thailand the ripe segments get dipped in batter and deep-fried into cempedak goreng, and the seeds are boiled or roasted for a nutty bite. The pulp carries vitamin C, some provitamin A, fiber and potassium. The parts on your plate are the ripe pulp and the cooked seeds.
Eat cempedak for what it is — a musky, custardy fruit that southern Thais batter and deep-fry into golden cempedak goreng. Just cook the seeds first: boiled or roasted, they turn starchy and nutty, a snack in their own right. Like its cousin the jackfruit, the heavy fruit grows straight off the trunk and main limbs.
Cempedak Goreng — จำปาดะทอด (jam-pa-da-thot)
Roasted Cempedak Seeds — เมล็ดจำปาดะคั่ว (ma-let-jam-pa-da-khua)
Food and nutrients
Rich in: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, fiber, potassium
Research context
The antimalarial work on cempedak used compounds isolated from its bark and roots, in an in-vitro test and in mice; the fruit you eat is an aromatic, sweet source of vitamin C — Phytochemistry, 2000
Sources
Source: Boonlaksiri C et al. (2000). An antimalarial stilbene from Artocarpus integer. Phytochemistry 54(4):415-417. PMID 10897483, DOI:10.1016/s0031-9422(00)00074-1. Stem-bark extract in mice: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med (2020). PMID 32190083, DOI:10.1155/2020/4678634.
Narration transcript
Opening
Cempedak — จำปาดะ, jam-pa-da. Tear one open and the smell hits first, a heavy floral musk; inside, soft golden pulp clings to each seed, sweeter and more custardy than its cousin the jackfruit. In southern Thailand the ripe segments get dipped in batter and deep-fried into cempedak goreng, and the seeds are boiled or roasted for a nutty bite. The pulp carries vitamin C, some provitamin A, fiber and potassium. The parts on your plate are the ripe pulp and the cooked seeds.
Cempedak Goreng (จำปาดะทอด)
Southern Thai cooks pull the golden segments off the seeds, dip them in a sweet batter, and deep-fry them into jam-pa-da-thot — crisp outside, soft and fragrant inside. Eat them hot with coffee.
Roasted Cempedak Seeds (เมล็ดจำปาดะคั่ว)
Don't throw out the seeds. Roasted into ma-let-jam-pa-da-khua, they turn starchy and nutty, close to a chestnut. Peel and eat them warm.
Nutrition summary
Cempedak contains — fiber at 12% of the daily value, carbohydrate at 9%, iron at 6%, and protein at 5%.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is used to build collagen and helps protect cells from oxidative stress.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A contributes to normal vision and helps maintain healthy skin and surface tissues.
Fiber
Fiber adds bulk to meals and can help with fullness.
Potassium
Potassium helps with normal fluid balance and muscle function.
Closing
Eat cempedak for what it is — a musky, custardy fruit that southern Thais batter and deep-fry into golden cempedak goreng. Just cook the seeds first: boiled or roasted, they turn starchy and nutty, a snack in their own right. Like its cousin the jackfruit, the heavy fruit grows straight off the trunk and main limbs, which are strong enough to hold the weight. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.
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