The Eastern Citadel: How to prepare African Breadfruit(Ukwa)

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Wednesday, 2 July 2014

How to prepare African Breadfruit(Ukwa)

• SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
» Scientific Name: Treculia africana
» Kingdom: Plantae
» (unranked): Angiosperms
» (unranked): Eudicots
» (unranked): Rosids
» Order: Rosales
» Family: Moraceae
» Genus: Treculia
» Species: T. Africana
• T. Africana(African BreadFruit)
Treculia africana, the African breadfruit, is a tree species in the genus Treculia. It is used as a food plant. The fruits are hard and fibrous, can be the size of a volleyball and weight up to 8.5 kg. Chimpanzees have been observed to use tools to break the fruits into small pieces that they can eat. The fruits contain polyphenols.
• DESCRIPTION & ORIGIN
Treculia africana is a species of tree known as "African breadfruit". Many tribal names are given to this species, but the most common is "Ukwa".

• Treculia Africana Seed

Treculia Africana(African Breadfruit) is commonly known as "Ukwa" in Igbo Land, South-Eastern Nigeria.

The geographical distribution of Treculia africana extends through West and Central Africa. The species can grow below altitudes of 1500m.
• BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Treculia africana is a large tree and is part of the family Moraceae. It grows in wet areas and forests. The species can grow up to a height of 30 meters. The girth of the stem can attain 6 meters. The bark is grey and discharges a cream latex. The leaves are large and dark green above and lighter below. Trees dioecious(sexes on separate trees) or sometimes monoecious. Leaves in two ranks; stipules amplexicaul (enclosing the bud). Inflorescences unisexual, sometimes bisexual, globose, borne in the leaf axils or on the older wood and branches. Pistillate (female) flowers lining the outer surface of a large receptacle (bread fruit). The flowering period is from October until February. The fruit is big, round and greenish yellow. The texture of the fruit is spongy when it is ripe and it contains abundant seeds. Under good environmental conditions, the yield from one tree attains 200 kg dried seeds. Seeds are dicotyledonous.
• VARIETIES
Based on detailed field observations, 3 varieties are distinguished within the subspecies: Treculia africana var. africana(Extending from Senegal to Southern Sudan and south to Angola, central Mozambique and Principe and Sao Tomé islands), Treculia africana var. inversa(Anambra State and Bendel State, more abundant in the eastern states of Nigeria) andTreculia africana var. mollis(Isolated localities in Bendel State of Nigeria, Cameroun, DR.Congo, Gabon and Cabinda).
Their taxonomic differences are based mainly on the size of the fruit head (infructence) and the hairiness of branchlets and leaves. There is a striking variation in the number of fruit heads produced by trees belonging toTreculia african var. africana(with large fruit heads) andTreculia african var. inversa(with small fruit heads). The former is clearly superior in the weight of seeds produced while the latter produces more fruit and also produces twice as many branches.

The tree of a breadfruit grows up to 80 - 90ft tall, bearing a green-like fruit normally attached to its node.

• HUMAN FOOD
African breadfruit is an edible traditional fruit, consumed, for example in Nigeria, where it is eaten as a main dish. The seeds are of particular interest because of their high nutrition value. Fresh seeds contain 38.3% carbohydrate, 17.7% crude protein and 15.9% fat. Readily available in many developing African countries, Treculia africana can be an alternative to rice and yam. The seeds of Treculia africana can be ground to flour, pressed for oil and used as flavouring in alcoholic drinks.
It is known that African breadfruit a good adjunct in brewing because it is a source of fermentable sugars. With reference to the study, they find that the yield production of ethanol is enhanced when it's defatted seeds are used. The wood has many uses such as firewood, for furniture and for home and other building construction. It can also be processed into paper.
• ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Different parts of the plant are used for medicine: the roots, the bark and the leaves. The tree is used to treat malaria, worms, coughs and digestive disorders.
• PREPARATION
This ball-shaped fruit(Treculia Africana) is greenish in colour, of which contains the seeds of the breadfruit. As we all know, this greenish ball-shaped fruit has to be allowed for 3-4 days for it to decay, but some people do catalyze its decay by using a matchet to slice it into fragments, as it enhances an increase in its decay rate!
When the fruit had decayed, the next approach is sprouting of its brown coated seeds with your hands.
Removing the seeds from the decayed fruit normally requires a lot of water, due to the sticky, gummy or aqueous nature of the decayed organic matter. The removal of its seeds is normally carried out at a nearby stream, but you can do it at your home as well, and that is if you have enough water supply. The main reason why it is washed with a lot of water is so as to wash off its decayed organic matter, and as well, not to allow the nutshells to be slippery as it may hinder the efficacy of the grater that will be used to crush the seeds. As the washing had exiled, the result will be the breadfruit nuts of which is usually greenish-black in colour, but as a result of the decayed organic matter that encloses it, it then turns brownish in colour. But its shells is brown in colour. The next is for the seeds to be crushed, and this is done with a grater or a stone, depending on your preference. As the crushing had exiled, the next product is the greenish-white seeds of the breadfruit, coupled with its coat.

This greenish white product is the required seed that is called breadfruit seed(Mkpuru Ukwa).

The seed coats are usually blewn away and separated from its seeds using a manual process. The result of this manual process is the greenish-white seeds of a breadfruit. The breadfruit seed at this stage can now be processed into any delicacy once it had been garnished with condiments.
The preparation of breadfruit seeds are usually a simple one because it is normally boiled to a vegetative state.
• The preparation of breadfruit(Ukwa) requires the following ingredients:
» 1kg of breadfruit seeds(Ukwa)
» A pot with a lid
» 25 Litres of water
» Scent Leaf(Nchawu)
» Utazi
» Big kitchen spoon
» Two table spoon
» A kitchen knife
» Lighter or Match Box
» Stove, Gas cooker etc
» A table(Moderate Sized)
» 2 kitchen plates
» Edible Potash(Akanwu)
» White kitchen bowl
» 2 medium dry fish
» 2 small stock cubes
» Palm Oil (enough to colour)
» 5-6 fresh bitter leaves
» Pepper & Salt (to taste)

• Don't forget to equip yourself with washing materials!

• Breadfruit Meal

• PROCEDURES
African breadfruit is in a food class of its own. I was not sure where to put it but finally settled for beans section because breadfruit seeds are most similar to beans. It is known as Ukwa in Igbo and the scientific name isTreculia africana.
Ukwa is such a versatile food with a natural delicious flavour. It can be cooked plain without any ingredient, not even salt and it will taste great especially when prepared with fresh Ukwa. It can be roasted and eaten with coconut or palm kernel. It can also be prepared as a porridge which is what this page is about.
When all the requirements above are met, ignite your source of heat (Stove, Gas Cooker, Charcoal etc). Rinse the pot with its lid and empty about 2 litres of water into it and allow it to boil for about 5 minutes. Remove it from the Stove or Gas Cooker and blew away the fire! Empty the boiled hot water into the breadfruit in the white basin and wash it vigorously for about 2 minutes. After washing the breadfruit's seeds for about 2 minutes as I earlier suggested, empty it into a well rinsed cooking pot and empty abou 2 litres of water into it, depending on the quality of available breadfruit seeds. Put the pot on fire and start boiling the breadfruit. As the breadfruit boils, wash your scent leaves (Nchanwu) and your Utazi and slice them into pieces into the white basin bowel while you wait for the boiling breadfruit (Ukwa Seeds). When your breadfruit had boiled for about 30 minutes, depending on the quantity of the available seeds and the intensity of heat evolved by your cooker. When your breadfruit is getting due, this is the time you have to empty the vegetable into the boiling breadfruit's seed for it to boil along with your already boiling breadfruit and stir!

• Breadfruit with red oil

• SECOND METHOD
Put the thoroughly washed ukwa in a sizeable pot. Pressure pot cooks the ukwa much faster. Pour enough water to cover the ukwa. The level of water should be about 1 inch above the level of the ukwa. Add the edible potash. Add the dry fish or stock fish, cover the pot and cook till well done. The ukwa is done when the seeds melt when pressed. You may need to top up the water while cooking so watch it closely. If using a pressure pot, top ups will not be necessary. Add enough palm oil to the well done ukwa, add pepper, stock cubes and salt to taste. Stir. Cover and cook on medium heat till the palm oil changes colour from red to yellow. This should take about 5 minutes. Stir and add the bitter leaves. Cover and leave to simmer or till the leaves wilt but still green and the ukwa is ready to be served.

This document was last modified by Ucheonye Nzubechi on:

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2 comments:

ujoh22 August 2020 at 13:26

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Unknown25 January 2021 at 15:06
Thank you for this great article
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Wednesday, 2 July 2014

How to prepare African Breadfruit(Ukwa)

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