Roasted Breadfruit

Select a ripe breadfruit that yields slightly to pressure and has a few brown patches on the skin, indicating full starch-to-sugar conversion. Wash the exterior thoroughly under running water and pat dry. Pierce the skin in several places with a fork or knife tip.

For traditional roasting, place the whole breadfruit directly on hot charcoal or an open gas flame, turning every ten minutes with tongs. For oven roasting, place on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast at 200C. Either method takes forty-five to sixty minutes.

The breadfruit is done when the outer skin is uniformly blackened and charred, the fruit feels soft when pressed gently with tongs, and a knife slides easily into the centre with no resistance. A light, sweet, bread-like aroma should fill the area.

Using tongs, transfer the charred breadfruit to a cutting board and allow it to cool for ten minutes until safe to handle. The charred skin will peel away easily in large sections, revealing the creamy, pale yellow flesh underneath.

Cut the peeled breadfruit in half and remove the spongy core from the centre. Slice the flesh into thick wedges or chunks. The texture should be similar to fresh baked bread or soft potato, creamy and slightly sweet with a subtle nutty flavour.

While still warm, spread coconut oil or butter over the cut surfaces of each piece and sprinkle with salt. Serve the roasted breadfruit warm with a bowl of coconut cream for dipping and lime wedges for squeezing over the top.