SOME FRUITS OF HAWAII 



15 



sites of civilization, especially around Kona and Hilo, show large areas 

 of cultivated breadfruit trees and the trees now grow wild in hot, moist 

 sections of all the Islands. The Hawaiian name ulu corresponds to the 

 Tahitian name uru (71, p. 100). 



Nutritive value: Breadfruit has about the same quantity of total 

 carbohydrate (starch and sugar) as have sweet potatoes or taro, and 

 more than white potatoes. Like bananas, breadfruit when fully ripe 

 gives no test with iodine, indicating that the starch has all been changed 

 to sugars. 



"The Hawaiians never ate their breadfruit in the unripe or starchy 

 state as did the Tahitians and Samoans. They preferred it at least 

 half ripe or ripe" (34, p. 5). The Polynesians used breadfruit as a sup- 

 plement to or as a substitute for taro and sweet potatoes, and there 

 seems to be no reason why it should not be so used today. 



The calcium content of breadfruit is higher than that of white 

 potatoes and about the same as that of sweet potatoes and taro. These 

 vegetables all have about the same quantity of phosphorus, but taro and 

 sweet and white potatoes are superior sources of iron. 



Cooked breadfruit is a fairly good source of vitamin A and of the 

 vitamin B complex, and is a poor source of vitamin C (34, p. 22). No 

 experiments to test the vitamin G content of breadfruit have been re- 

 ported. 



Supply: Breadfruit may be purchased in the market at intervals 

 from July to February and occasionally at other times during the year. 

 Although breadfruit seems to be plentiful, the quantity reaching the 

 market does not exceed the demand. 



Use: The breadfruit may be picked in the tepau stage, when the 

 milky sap comes to the surface, but while the fruit is still firm, green 

 and starchy, or if a riper and therefore sweeter stage is desired, it may 

 be picked when the skin is yellow green or just beginning to turn brown. 

 It is always cooked for use, and if boiled in the tepau stage it is an 

 excellent food resembling the potato in flavor. If to be used ripe, the 

 fruit should be kept until it becomes soft and the outside skin partially 

 brown in color. The ancient Hawaiians cooked the whole breadfruit in 

 the underground oven or imu. Today it is usually baked or steamed. 

 After cooking it may be made into poi and used as a substitute for taro 

 poi, or may be combined with it. However, breadfruit poi is not as 

 commonly used by the Hawaiians as by other Polynesians (34, p. 5). 



Baked breadfruit 



Choose a ripe breadfruit which is soft, with the small sections of the skin 

 flattened and partially brown in color. Wash, and bake whole in a moderate 

 oven (350° F) for 1 hour. Remove from oven, pull out core and stem, cut 

 breadfruit in half, and season with butter, salt and pepper or butter and 

 sugar. If preferred, remove the core and stem before baking, place 1 table- 

 spoon butter and 1 tablespoon sugar in the cavity and replace stem during 

 baking period. Place breadfruit in a pan containing just enough water to 

 keep pan from burning. 



