Cempedak

What Is Cempedak?

Cempedak is a tropical fruit (Artocarpus integer) from Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei), a close relative of jackfruit from the same genus. Compared to jackfruit, it is smaller in size, has a thinner skin, and a much more intense smell.

The yellow-orange segments inside are soft, sweet, and intensely aromatic; some describe its smell as between durian and jackfruit. Its large seeds can also be boiled and eaten like chestnuts.

Nutritional Values of Cempedak

100 g of raw cempedak contains around 95 kcal of energy; it carries high carbohydrate and fiber. Values are approximate.

How Should Cempedak Be Consumed?

Cempedak can be considered part of a balanced diet as a carbohydrate and fiber source; its segments are eaten both raw and cooked.

This information is general; cempedak is a food, not a substitute for medical treatment.

How to Choose Cempedak?

A good cempedak has skin that has turned dark yellow-brown, yields to slight pressure, and has a strong-sweet smell. A fruit with green-hard skin has not yet ripened.

• Skin should have turned dark yellow-brown
• Should yield to slight pressure
• Smell should be strong-sweet

How to Store Cempedak?

Unripe cempedak is kept at room temperature; once ripe it is recommended to be consumed within 2-3 days in the refrigerator, as its smell intensifies over time.

Using Cempedak in the Kitchen

Cempedak is most often eaten raw in fresh segments; it is also battered and deep-fried (goreng cempedak) to prepare a beloved snack in Malaysian-Indonesian cuisine.

What Is the Difference Between Cempedak and Jackfruit?

Cempedak is smaller, has a thinner skin, and a much more intense-sharp smell; jackfruit is larger, has a milder smell, and is a more widely available species. Both come from the same genus (Artocarpus).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cempedak seed edible?

Yes; the large seeds can be boiled or roasted and consumed as a chestnut-like snack.

Why is cempedak's smell so strong?

Volatile ester compounds released during ripening create an intense-sweet-fermented smell; this is a common trait among Artocarpus genus fruits (jackfruit, cempedak).

Is cempedak available in Turkey?

It is not; its smell and quick perishability make fresh import impractical.