The only living sahabi tree
The last good fellow (sahabi) alive, this is how they call this tree located in the inhospitable desert in northern Jordan.
A caravan going to Syria sat down under its shadow. Muhammad, the future Prophet of Islam, was travelling with the caravan. He was as young as nine years old and was accompanying his uncle Abu Talib.
When Bahira, who was a Christian monk retired in solitude in a cell nearby, saw the caravan arriving, he was impressed to realise that a little cloud was moving over the heads of some of the travellers, protecting them from the scorching sun. He was also very surprised to see that the branches of the tree sink down to the caravan that sat down to have a rest under its crown.
Bahira had read an old manuscript in which the arrival of a new prophet was announced and he had the clear intuition that he would meet him during his lifetime. Those little miracles were just confirming that the arrival of the Prophet was coming soon. Then he prepared the food supplies he had and invited the Quraish caravan to share them with him, meeting all the “young and old, slaves and free people”. When the caravan approached to him, he examined their faces one by one, and he could not detect any of the signals announced in the manuscript, so he asked if anybody had stayed under the tree.
A little boy stayed and his name is Muhammad, they told him. They immediately invited him to share the lunch with the Christian monk. When he looked at Muhammad, he recognized the prophecy sign in his face, asked him some questions in order to confirm its intuition and finally reached to see on his back the seal of the Prophethood mentioned in the manuscrypt. He was astonished and advised Abu Talib about his nephew: big things but also big troubles were waiting for him.
Today, 1400 years later, the blessed tree is still alone, without any other tree around.
Modern Athletic Woman in Urban Setting: Embracing Active Living
A beautiful Hispanic woman in her 20s with an athletic build and a slender physique. She has a confident stance, exuding strength and health. She is dressed in modern, casual sports attire, perfect for a brisk morning run or a relaxing yoga session. Her hair is tied into a high ponytail, and her face carries a glowing, warm smile. The backdrop is an urban setting, complete with a park and people engaged in various activities, creating a lively, engaging atmosphere. The image portrays the essence of active, healthy, and balanced living.
Roundglass Living, Jackfruit
Latin name: Artocarpus heterophyllus
Other names: Jack tree
Uses: fruit, vegetable, pickled, fried, chips, flour, dessert
What is jackfruit?
The largest tree fruit in the world, jackfruit belongs to the Moraceae family, which includes fig, mulberry, and breadfruit. Weighing anywhere between 10 and a whopping 50 pounds or more, these enormous fruits have thick, bumpy greenish-brown skin that looks almost lizard-like. Inside you’ll find a mass of plump, stringy yellow pods. Relished both green and ripe, jackfruit is increasingly available in fresh, frozen and canned form.
Why is jackfruit healthy?
Who would have guessed that a low-carb fruit packed full of antioxidants, magnesium, fiber, and vitamin B6 could also be a superior meat replacement? In 2016, plant-based eaters made it a Google “rising star” based on search volume, praising jackfruit for its versatility and unique, meat-like texture. Studies show it also may reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.
What does jackfruit taste like?
When ripe, jackfruit is sweet like a banana, with a slightly tangy acidity reminiscent of pineapple. The bulbs have a bouncy texture like gummy candy. Unripe jackfruit is not sweet and is consumed in cooked form only, almost always in savory dishes. When roasted, compounds found in jackfruit seeds can produce aromas similar to processed cocoa beans. As a result, efforts are underway to see if the seed powder could work as a cacao alternative.
How do I use jackfruit?
Ripe jackfruit is eaten raw out of hand as well as featured in tropical desserts and sweets around the world, including the crushed ice and condensed milk dessert halo-halo in Philippines, Vietnamese chè, and the South Indian mini pancakes chakka nei appam. Since ripe jackfruit is naturally sweet, it is also processed into candies, syrups, juice concentrates, and preserves. Toasted and salted, the seeds make a popular snack.
You can cook unripe jackfruit in a variety of ways. The bulbs can be boiled for salads, fried like cutlets, or simply grilled or sautéed like a vegetable. In many Asian countries, jackfruit is stewed with meat and often served with steamed rice. In the southern states of India, sliced jackfruit bulbs are deep fried and eaten as chips. Through tropical South and Southeast Asia, people consume it in curries or straight off the tree. Cooks in the West have more recently taken a fancy to jackfruit, using it to make taco fillings, salads, burgers, and a vegetarian version of pulled pork. The dried fruit and seeds can be ground into flour.
What does jackfruit pair well with?
Jackfruit likes other tropical flavors — think coconut, and South or Southeast Asian spices.
Where does jackfruit grow?
Jackfruit is native to South and Southeast Asian countries, and is believed to have originated in the region between the Western Ghats of India and the rainforests of Malaysia. Tropical lowlands are ideal for its cultivation; today it’s grown widely throughout the tropical regions of the world. The English name “jackfruit” is derived from the Portuguese “jaca” which comes from the Malayalam term “chakka.”
How to buy jackfruit:
Unripe, it should be firm and sturdy. When ripe, it will become softer and more aromatic. Avoid too-soft or browning specimens.
Fun jackfruit fact:
The wood of the jackfruit tree is resistant to fungus and termites, which makes it an ideal building material for houses and furniture.
