Breadfruit is a large, starchy fruit from the tree Artocarpus altilis, native to the Pacific Islands and believed to have first been cultivated in New Guinea and the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. Polynesian voyagers carried it across the Pacific, and it is now also grown in the Caribbean and Central America.
Unripe breadfruit is boiled, roasted, or fried and used as a starchy staple similar to potatoes or yams; ripe breadfruit is sweeter and can be baked, mashed, or used in desserts.
Its flavor is often described as a cross between potato, artichoke, and freshly baked bread, with a creamy, dense texture once cooked. In savory dishes it pairs well with cumin, chili, turmeric, onions, garlic, and ginger; in sweet preparations it pairs with coconut, tropical fruits, and cinnamon or nutmeg.