How to harvest green jakfruit?

[HI_Chris]

I have a new tree loaded with its first jakfruits and I'd like to make gudeg, a dish which requires green jakfruit.  (My only experience with the unripe version is in cans of brine.)  So, at what stage can I harvest the green jakfruit?  And is there anything special to do in order to prepare it for cooking?  If anyone has experience with this, I would be grateful for tips -- Chris

[ben mango]

Before the seeds develop ideally. You want to cut it in half, quarter it. Carefully cut the skin off, and then the core. slice into larger chunks for cooking. You’ll want to oil up whatever knife you’re using beforehand and have a towel or rag to wipe off the excess latex. They would use bowls of water and bleach in the Philippines i saw to help preserve the white color. I don’t recommend doing that.

[pagnr]

Yes the latex will stick to your hands too, pretty hard to get off. Gloves might be the best.

[Vegan Potato Man]

Yes the latex will stick to your hands too, pretty hard to get off. Gloves might be the best.

More oil will work to break down the latex to remove it from hands or utensils FYI.

Same reason why you don't use oil with latex condoms.

[fruit nerd]

We use coconut oil and just pure a small amount on a paper towel and put it in a bowel. Works great. Soap and water is next to useless on the latex, though good to get the oil off.

[HI_Chris]

Thanks, everyone, for the tips.
I'll pick a green jakfruit that is not quite full-size and use oil to help cut it up without getting latex everywhere.  Then I'll try to make gudeg and see how it tastes.
-- Chris

[Vegan Potato Man]

The oil won't stop the latex from coming, it just helps it to not stick to the knife and your hands.

Usually people put down newspaper or something to protect their work surface.